Living Beings
    Source-identified Lupulella mesomelas; documentary image Framed for display
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    Chacal de lomo negro (Lupulella mesomelas), reserva natural Masái Mara, Kenia, 2024-05-20, DD 06.jpg · Resized and converted to WebP for display. Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

    Field guide · species

    Black-backed Jackal

    Lupulella mesomelas

    AnimaliaMammaliaCarnivoraCanidae

    The black-backed jackal is an African predator and scavenger recognized by a dark saddle across its back. Its flexibility includes both independent foraging and cooperation with other individuals.

    Public research profile · final editorial review pending.

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    Tree of lifeScientific lineage
    1. LifeLife
    2. DomainEukaryota
    3. KingdomAnimalia
    4. PhylumChordata
    5. ClassMammalia
    6. OrderCarnivora
    7. FamilyCanidae
    8. GenusLupulella
    9. SpeciesLupulella mesomelas
    Advanced classification

    Complete source lineage, including intermediate ranks. The standard view uses Life and the eight principal ranks.

    1. cellular organisms cellular root
    2. Eukaryota domain
    3. Opisthokonta clade
    4. Metazoa kingdom
    5. Eumetazoa clade
    6. Bilateria clade
    7. Deuterostomia clade
    8. Chordata phylum
    9. Craniata subphylum
    10. Vertebrata clade
    11. Gnathostomata clade
    12. Teleostomi clade
    13. Euteleostomi clade
    14. Sarcopterygii superclass
    15. Dipnotetrapodomorpha clade
    16. Tetrapoda clade
    17. Amniota clade
    18. Mammalia class
    19. Theria clade
    20. Eutheria clade
    21. Boreoeutheria clade
    22. Laurasiatheria superorder
    23. Carnivora order
    24. Caniformia suborder
    25. Canidae family
    26. Lupulella genus
    27. Lupulella mesomelas species
    Open in taxonomy explorer ↗

    Physical traits

    A dark grizzled back contrasts with reddish sides and a paler underside.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Habitat and range

    Dry and more varied open landscapes can be used, including areas influenced by people.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Diet and nutrition

    Small vertebrates, carrion, invertebrates and other available foods are eaten.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Behavior and activity

    Foraging can occur alone or cooperatively. Daily timing varies, including shifts toward nighttime near human activity.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Geographic distribution

    The Mammal Diversity Database v2.5 records this species in Angola, Botswana, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Evidence

    Sources

    Connected life

    No reviewed ecological connections in the collection yet.

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