Canis latrans

C. latrans binomial = Canis latrans binomial_authority = Say (Thomas Say), 1823 range_map = Leefgebied coyoteupdate.jpg range_map_width = 200px range_map_caption = Coyote range

The coyote (pron-enka??o?ti?, ?ka?.o?t) (Canis latrans), also known as the American (United States) jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canid found throughout North (North America) and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada. It occurs as far north as Alaska and all but the northernmost portions of Canada. There are currently 19 recognized subspecies, with 16 in Canada, Mexico and the United States, and 3 in Central America. Unlike its cousin the Gray Wolf, which is Eurasian in origin, the coyote evolved in North America during the Pleistocene epoch 1.810 million years ago (mya (unit)) alongside the Dire Wolf. Unlike the wolf, the coyotes range has expanded in the wake of human civilization, and coyotes readily reproduce in metropolitan areas.