Egyptian wolf
The Egyptian wolf (Canis anthus lupaster) is a subspecies of African golden wolf native to northern, eastern and western Africa.
Taxonomic and evolutionary history
The Egyptian wolf had an unresolved taxonomic identity and was formerly known as the Egyptian jackal. Throughout much of the 20th century, the animal was classed as a subspecies of golden jackal, Canis aureus lupaster. Notice was however taken by numerous zoologists of the animal's morphology, which corresponds more to that of the grey wolf. This was corroborated through mtDNA studies, which initially indicated that the animal was a subspecies of grey wolf, and should be renamed African wolf (Canis lupus lupaster).
In 2015, both golden jackals from Africa and Eurasia were found to represent distinct monophyletic lineages separated for more than one million years, sufficient to merit formal recognition as different species: C. aureus (Eurasian golden jackal) and C. anthus (African golden wolf). It has not been formally recognised as such by MSW3 which, published in 2005, classifies it as a subspecies of golden jackal.
