Southern boobook taxa (southern plus Tasmanian boobooks and moreporks) as a single species. Examining both morphological and genetic (cytochrome b) characters in 2008, German biologist Michael Wink and colleagues concluded that the southern boobook is distinct from the morepork and Tasmanian boobook (which they proposed to be raised to species status as "Ninox leucopsis"), and that it is instead the sister taxon to the barking owl ("N. connivens"). A 2017 study by Singapore-based biologist Chyi Yin Gwee and colleagues analysing both multi-locus DNA and boobook calls confirmed a sister relationship of "N. n. novaeseelandiae" and "N." ("n.") "leucopsis" and their close relationship
Anatomical terms of bone a condyle, particularly the medial epicondyle of the humerus. These terms derive from Greek. An "eminence" refers to a relatively small projection or bump, particularly of bone, such as the medial eminence. A "process" refers to a relatively large projection or prominent bump, as does a "promontory" such as the sacral promontory. Both "tubercle" and "tuberosity" refer to a projection or bump with a roughened surface, with a "tubercle" generally smaller than a "tuberosity". These terms are derived from "Tuber" (). A "ramus" () refers to an extension of bone, such as the ramus of the mandible in the jaw