Sciacallo

With the term *jackal*, three (or according to some, four) different species of mammals belonging to the genus *Canis*, along with their respective subspecies, are generally identified. This definition has no scientific or taxonomic value, but it is still often used to define these species, which exhibit notable morphological similarities.

These species are:

canis aureus (golden jackal),
canis adustus (eastern black-backed jackal), and
canis mesomelas (black-backed jackal).

A further species is canis simensis, another canid that lives in the mountains of Ethiopia, sometimes also considered a jackal.