MOLECULAR-GENETICS CONFIRMS TAXONOMIC AFFINITIES OF THE ENDANGERED NORFOLK ISLAND BOOBOOK OWL NINOX NOVAESEELANDIAE UNDULATA

In 1986, only one female survived of the Norfolk Island Boobook Owl Ni nox novaeseelandiae undulata. In an attempt to conserve some of the ge netic integrity of this subspecies of owl, the female was crossed with males from the presumed closely related subspecies occurring in New Z ealand Ninox n. novaeseelandiae. To assess the validity of this choice DNA sequence data were obtained from the mitochondrial cytochrome-b g ene in five species and subspecies of Ninox owls. The resulting data c learly identified N. n undulata as being more closely related to N. n. novaeseelandiae than to N. n. leucopsis (Tasmania) which it also rese mbles in outward appearance. This finding vindicates the current manag ement strategy for conserving N. n. undulata. The taxonomic status of N. n. undulata, N. n. novaeseelandiae and N. n. leucopsis are reviewed in the light of the DNA sequence data. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.