Taxonomy and nomenclature of the genus Stylops Kirby, 1802 (Strepsiptera) have been understood differently in different parts of world for a long time. Largest differences came from erroneous concept of host specialization of individual species.
For this reason, we re-evaluated taxonomy and nomenclature in all Stylops species based on distances of DNA barcode sequences (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I). Twenty six species (123 individuals) out of sixty six recognized Stylops species from all distribution range were DNA barcoded and their sequences compared.
Taxonomy of all West Palaearctic species was restructured to be congruent with results of analysis of the genetic distances.