The Contribution of Flight System Characters to the Reconstruction of the Phylogeny of the Pterygota

The ability to fl y is an important factor for the evolutionary success of insects. Their fl ight apparatus contains numerous sclerites and muscles, which represent valuable characters for phylogenetic analysis. We present a summary of the current state of knowledge on autapomorphies of the fl ight system of high-level taxa of the Pterygota. To date, no formal phylogenetic analysis based on fl ight system characters with the exception of wing venation has been presented. Nevertheless, this review shows that the wing base and the fl ight muscles contain valuable characters that can help to resolve current open questions of phylogenetic relationships among the Pterygota. It also becomes apparent that there are still many taxa without comprehensive descriptions of the wing base morphology