Description
The Ethiopian wolf is a medium sized canid resembling the coyote in size and conformation, having long legs and a narrow pointed muzzle. It weighs 11 to 19.5 kg (24 to 43 lb), with males being 20% larger than females. Head-and-body length can range from 84 to 102 cm (33 to 40 in), with a tail of 27 to 40 cm (11 to 16 in) and a shoulder height up to 63 cm (25 in). The skull has a flat profile with a thick, narrow and low neuro-cranium which is almost cylindrical in shape. The coronal ridge is linear and the inter-parietal bone slightly developed. The teeth are small and widely spaced, an adaptation to their rodent-heavy diet. The dental formula is 3/3-1/1-4/4-2/3=42. The back molars are occasionally absent. The canine teeth are sharply pointed and average 19 millimetres in length. The ears are pointed and broad, sporting thickly fringed pinnae. The front feet have five toes, while the back have four.
The coat is ochre to rusty red on the face, ears and upper portions of the body and white to pale ginger on the underparts. Small white spots are present on the cheeks, as well as a white ascending crescent below the eyes. The contrast of red and white markings increases with age and social rank. Females tend to have paler coats. The back of the tail has a short, rufous-coloured stripe which ends in a thick brush of black guard hairs on the tip. The pelt has short guard hairs and thick underfur which protect the wolf from temperatures as low as −15 °C (+5 °F).
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