Stelis (Stelis) murina Perez, 1884

The taxonomic status of Stelis murina remains unresolved. An examination of the lectotype and paralectotypes of S. murina at the MNHN revealed that the taxon commonly referred to by this name (Kasparek 2015) does not correspond to the type material (Le Divelec et al. 2024). Stelis murina is closely related to S. phaeoptera (Kirby, 1802), with both males and females being difficult to distinguish from that species. The situation is further complicated by the subspecies S. murina cretica Mavromoustakis, 1963, described from Crete, and morphologically very distinct from the two previous taxa. To clarify the exact distributions of S. phaeoptera, S. murina murina, and S. murina cretica, further research is required. This should include the identification of reliable distinguishing characteristics, a thorough revision of museum specimens, and genetic analyses. Given the lack of a comprehensive revision and in accordance with the available literature, we have decided to treat S. phaeoptera and S. murina as valid species in the present European checklist, while recognizing cretica at the subspecies level.