Abstract
This investigation was the first cladistic analysis using morphological data of first instar larvae of Strepsiptera. The analysis of representatives of nearly all known families of Strepsiptera supports the division of Strepsiptera into Mengenillidia and Stylopidia. Corioxenidae and Elenchidae are placed at the base of Stylopidia. Halictophagidae is the sister group to Xeninae + Myrmecolacidae + Stylopinae. Xeninae is placed as the sister group to Myrmecolacidae + Stylopinae. Stylopidae are paraphyletic. Thus, Xenidae stat. n. is re‐established. A sister‐group relationship between Myrmecolacidae and Elenchidae is not supported on characters of first instar larvae.