![]() ![]() The reason why we prefer to keep them provisionally distinct is that though the difference between the two forms (African and Indian) is slight as regards coloration, yet it appears to be a very constant one. to keep the North-African and Indian Jackals distinct. Certainly the differences of coloration which exist between these forms are not nearly so great as those which are to be found to occur between the different local varieties of C. it is a nice question whether the Common Jackal of North Africa should or should not be regarded as of the same species. Eduard Rüppell proposed that the animal was the ancestor of Egyptian sighthounds, and named it Wolfs-hund (wolf dog), while C.H. The binomial name he chose for it was derived from the Arcadian Anthus family described by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History, whose members would draw lots to become werewolves. The African wolf was first recognised as being a separate species from the golden jackal by Frédéric Cuvier in 1820, who described it as being a more elegant animal, with a more melodic voice and a less strong odour. Georg Ebers wrote of the wolf being among the sacred animals of Egypt, describing it as a "smaller variety" of wolf to those of Europe, and noting how the name Lykopolis, the Ancient Egyptian city dedicated to Anubis, means "city of the wolf". Taxonomy Early writings Īristotle wrote of wolves living in Egypt, mentioning that they were smaller than the Greek kind. lupaster phenotypes, ranging from gracile jackal-like morphs to more robust wolf-like ones. The ears are longer in the African wolf, and the skull has a more elevated forehead. Although superficially similar to the golden jackal (particularly in East Africa), the African wolf has a more pointed muzzle and sharper, more robust teeth. The throat, abdomen and facial markings are usually white, and the eyes are amber-colored. Fur color varies individually, seasonally and geographically, though the typical coloration is yellowish to silvery grey, with slightly reddish limbs and black speckling on the tail and shoulders. ![]() It has a relatively long snout and ears, while the tail is comparatively short, measuring 20 cm in length. There is however a high degree of size variation geographically, with Western and Northern African specimens being larger than their East African cousins. adustus) and the small subspecies of gray wolves, with both sexes weighing 7–15 kg (15–33 lb), and standing 40 cm in height. The African wolf is intermediate in size between the African jackals ( L. In North African folklore, it is viewed as an untrustworthy animal whose body parts can be used for medicinal or ritualistic purposes, while it is held in high esteem in Senegal's Serer religion as being the first creature to be created by the god Roog. It plays a prominent role in some African cultures it was considered sacred in ancient Egypt, particularly in Lycopolis, where it was venerated as a god. Further studies demonstrated that it is the descendant of a genetically admixed canid of 72% gray wolf ( Canis lupus) and 28% Ethiopian wolf ( Canis simensis) ancestry. It is nonetheless still close enough to the golden jackal to produce hybrid offspring, as indicated through genetic tests on jackals in Israel, and a 19th-century captive crossbreeding experiment. In 2015, a series of analyses on the species' mitochondrial DNA and nuclear genome demonstrated that it was, in fact, distinct from the golden jackal, and more closely related to the gray wolf and the coyote ( Canis latrans). lupaster) having been classified as a wolf. It was previously classified as an African variant of the golden jackal ( Canis aureus), with at that time at least one subspecies ( C. The African wolf is a monogamous and territorial species offspring remain with the family to assist in raising their parents' younger pups. Its diet also includes animal carcasses, human refuse, and fruit. It is primarily a predator of invertebrates and mammals as large as gazelle fawns, though larger animals are sometimes taken. In the Middle Atlas in Morocco, it was sighted in elevations as high as 1,800 m (5,900 ft). It is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List. The African wolf ( Canis lupaster) formerly known as the African golden jackal, is a canine native to North Africa, West Africa, the Sahel, northern East Africa, and the Horn of Africa.
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