As a reference for my own 'sona and for the convenience of others who have jackal characters I'm going to work on collecting references and links to the primary different art styles that are used for jackals within the furry art community. This is intended to be a helpful reference for artists who don't specialize in jackals and are wondering how to differentiate them from other types of canids, or for artists who associate the Anubis style just with black skin/fur rather than the other stylized components.

1) Anubis style jackal (aka Anubian or Khemetic)
2) Semi-Anubian style jackal
3) black-backed or side-striped jackal (they look fairly similar except for the fur pattern)
4) golden jackal (they are more closely genetically related to wolves and coyotes)


The following are examples of different styles of jackals:

Anubian jackals:
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/4899204/ Duamutef Charatersheet, by AlectorFencer
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/5730578/ Anubis, by Heather Bruton
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/107791/ Anubis: Why Me?, by loupgarou (both the black and white are Anubian-style)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/7345056/ The softness within, by sdark391 (a white Anubian-style jackal, note the tall ears)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/7620190/ Zahara, by Cybercat
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/4571847/ On Nightshade's Mind, by Kadath (the ears are clearly Anubian-style)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/7772568/ Speedpaint: Vorel, by sirmeo (the tall ears and narrow muzzle are Anubian-style)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/9814424/ Pristine Majesty, by DarkNatasha (the tall ears and narrow muzzle are Anubian-style)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/9685490/ Lead General, by Tatchit (not black nor a jackal, but very Anubian-style
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/795038/ Tsuanuta the Charmer (the tall ears make him very Anubian)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/10267064/ Areku - Demigodly form (the ears are very Anubian-style)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/12150459/ The Stygian Jackal, by Ulario (the ears are very Anubian-style)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/14867351/ Zhuge Dan + Zhong Hui - by Rokito (the canine is very Anubian)
-- [key Anubian jackal characteristics are tall pointed ears (taller than they are wide), ear shape is either triangular or has a straight inner edge and curved outer edge, a set of horizontal lines on the inside of the ears are a clear indication of Anubian style but the lines are not always present, a long narrow muzzle (but not pointed like a fox), a long wedge-shaped head with no 'forehead' (this depends somewhat on the artist's style), short fur or bare skin, and tailless or a thin greyhound-like tail (an Anubian jackal looks more like a black-backed jackal or greyhound than a golden jackal); Note that, although common, black fur/skin is not a requirement to be Anubian-style, nor are Egyptian style clothing/jewelry/symbols, nor are 'Eye of Horus' (Udjat) markings around the eyes]

Semi-Anubian jackals:
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/8159602/ The Messenger, by DarkNatasha
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/16124574/ Anubis - by Lunewen (the muzzle is Anubian but the ears are realistic, a nice mix that makes this Anubis both identifiable and realistic)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/view/10770646/ Together we will make it, by kory (despite the Egyptian symbols, the ears/muzzle are not Anubian-style)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/9375388/ Tiah, by pirate-cashoo (despite the black fur and Egyptian symbol, the ears/muzzle are not Anubian-style)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/6438008/ Netherfaris, by melo666 (the tall pointed ears and narrow muzzle are somewhat Anubian but not too stylized)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/9806359/ Wandering Augur, by Nimrais (the character is Anubian, but this sketch isn't)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/13362121/ The Fabled Golden Jackal - by troglit (the tall ears are Anubian-shaped, which helps identify the character as a jackal. but the character is otherwise a golden jackal)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/14084135/ Auric spellcasting - by ScribbleCat (the muzzle shape and tall ears are just Anubian enough to be able to identify him as a jackal, without being full Anubis style)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17828200/ Iron Artist #16 - Zyrena - by Wyla
-- [NSFW] http://www.furaffinity.net/full/9223582/ Aureus - by AlphaBitch (a very Anubian style golden jackal) [her refsheet says she's an Anubian Jackal, I eventually adopted her from Wyla in 2016]

Realistic black-backed jackals:
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/4334102/ Masai Jackal - by Korrok
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/4180282/ Freebie Badge 3: Kebi - by Korrok
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/2082657/ Kebi Badge - dready black back - by AlectorFencer
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/2342324/ Thoughts Aloft - by AlectorFencer
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/5049545/ My fursona - by Kory_333
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/7386013/ Badge by Koul - by Kory_333
-- [NSFW] http://www.furaffinity.net/full/15027093/ Black-backed side-smirked Jackal - by Kenket
-- [NSFW] http://www.furaffinity.net/full/5211846/ FC2011: Sebastian and Friend - by Un

Real black-backed jackals (canis mesomelas), native to two areas of central and southern Africa:
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/8220200/ Black Backed Jackal - by TachFox
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/3547580/ Pretty as a jackal - by Jaffa
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/11832588/ Black-backed jackal - by Taibron

Any side-striped jackals (they are very rare characters or 'sonas):
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/12782861/ Osiris Ref Sheet - by ISW-Avalon
-- [NSFW] http://www.furaffinity.net/full/6864702/ Tascha x3 - by Schmuseleopard
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/7515186/ Beauty - by Schmuseleopard
-- [NSFW] http://www.furaffinity.net/full/12235853/ Carrie/Keri Reference Sheet - by Un
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/8980942/ Seeing in the Night - by Lyre
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/14053634/ hazy days - by fenris-ulfur

Real side-striped jackals (canis adustus), native to central and southern Africa:

Realistic golden jackals:
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/4441517/ Amon - facial reference sheet, by Rukis
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/5729674/ Realism, by Rukis (read the description notes)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/14205541/ Thirst - by Kenket
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/15745576/ The Jackal - by TrieverAdopts
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/8930201/ Jackal Gal - by SteelJaw
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/930704/ I will be your wings - by hibbary
-- See Zasha's white jackal characters (they have wings and headfur but are not Anubian style), examples: http://www.furaffinity.net/full/4421963/ , http://www.furaffinity.net/full/7418156/ , http://www.furaffinity.net/full/8180774/
-- Lt_Alex.Marks has a realistic golden jackal 'sona , http://www.furaffinity.net/full/12354264/ Lt. Alex Marks Reference sheet (note the short tail, it is one way to identify a jackal)
-- [NSFW] Chmunk has a realistic golden jackal 'sona , http://www.furaffinity.net/view/8403646/ Ref Sheet by Flynx - by Chmunk (mildly Adult nude, sheath showing)
-- [realistic golden jackals can be difficult to tell apart from coyotes or wolves without seeing their relative size or going by fur colors/patterns, though the coyotes and jackals are more lightly built than wolves and the jackals have shorter tails; realistic jackals don't have the clearly defined brow ridge that a wolf has, but that detail can easily be lost with the general translation to furry head shapes]
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/12493043/ a realistic style fursuit of Amon, the golden jackal from Red Lantern

Real golden jackals (canis aureus), native to southeastern and central Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, and southeast Asia:
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/11452073/ Golden Jackal photo
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/6700617/ Golden Jackal - by BleedingXRazorXWrist

Jackal (or canid) style comparison drawings:
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/14075076/ Jackal Bust comparison (by SquishyGex)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/16061105/ Jackal Bust comparison (by Skyler-Ragnarok)

Coyotes, native to North America: (it can be difficult to tell the difference between coyotes and jackals in art)
-- http://www.furaffinity.net/full/735779/ No Rest For The Wicked - by Blotch


Someday I think it would be fun to get a group of FA jackals together for a big drawing with multiple busts sorted by Anubian, Semi-Anubian, and Realistic: