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First, I agree that the Fauna Europea isn't a scientific work and there is a great need to use other publications.

Yes, there are some differences between the British Island and Continental Europe. Usally I'm really not so interested in creating synonyms, because we have a very high diversity and low knowledge on it. In the case of D. hyalipennis and D. baumhaueri it is necessary to check material from different parts of Europe. There is a high variation and I agree with other authors to synonymize D. baumhaueri.
If somebody else is really interested in separating, it is a must to repeat this work.

In other cases, like the Choerades marginata / femorata - group it seems to be that we have similar problems - but different results. People, like Malcolm Smart, are working on it.

We should have a look on the complete population of a species, but this isn't possible. Sometimes we find good evidence for separating, in other not.

Yours