Abstract.Many families like the Mesochoristidae, Agetopanorpidae and Permopanorpidae, which were believed by earlier writers to be Mecoptera, are members of the stem group of the Antliophora (Diptera Mecoptera+Siphonaptera) or of stem groups of monophyletic groups of even higher rank (e.g. Mecopteroidea). Others ‐ like the so‐called ‘Pro‐tomecoptera’ from the Permian of the Kusnetsk Basin ‐ are not even closely related to the Mecopteroidea. Only the families mentioned in the following phylogenetic system of the Mecoptera are definitely members of the order:1 Nannomecoptera (Nannochoristidae)2 Pistillifera2.1 Raptipedia (Neorthophlebiidae, Bittacidae, Cimbrophlebiidae)2.2 Opisthogonopora2.2.1 Boreomorpha (Boreidae)2.2.2 Meropomorpha (Meropeidae)2.2.3 Panorpomorpha2.2.3.1 Eomeropina (Eomeropidae=Notiothaumidae)2.2.3.2 Panorpina2.2.3.2.1 Apteropanorpini (Apteropanorpidae)2.2.3.2.2 Panorpini2.2.3.2.2.1 Choristoidea (Choristidae)2.2.3.2.2.2 Panorpoidea (Orthophlebiidae, Dinopanorpidae, Austropan‐orpidae, Muchoriidae, Panorpodidae, Panorpidae)The Orthophlebiidae and Neorthophlebiidae are not monophyletic. There are, however, no characters preserved which would allow a clarification of the exact relations between members of these two groups and the families derived from them. The fossil Xenochoristidae, Triasso‐choristidae, Mesopanorpodidae and Robinjohniidae may be further members of the Mecoptera. Their exact phylogenetic relations, howev
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