asioina

Asioina is a term used in some ornithological discussions to designate a hypothetical clade within the order Strigiformes, intended to group certain lineages of owls with shared morphological traits. The concept is not part of formal taxonomic practice and has not been adopted by major nomenclatural authorities. Because it is informal, there is no official type genus, diagnostic characters, or rank, and the proposed composition of Asioina varies among authors.

The etymology of the term is derived from the genus Asio, which is widely studied within owls, combined with the suffix -ina, a convention used in some taxonomic proposals to indicate a clade. The name therefore signals a relationship among owls linked to that lineage, without prescribing a formal taxonomic status.

In discussions where Asioina is mentioned, it is typically used as an example of how molecular data can challenge or refine traditional genera-level classifications in Strigiformes. Some sources treat Asioina as a loose grouping or a provisional construct rather than a formal clade, while others critique the utility of the term altogether. The lack of formal recognition means there is no agreed-upon species list or geographic range associated with Asioina.

As a result, Asioina remains a placeholder concept in academic discourse rather than a settled taxonomic unit, serving mainly to illustrate questions about owl phylogeny and nomenclature.