Complex sentence: The Black-backed jackal ("Canis mesomelas") is an African canine with a fox-like appearance, tan fur, and a thick stripe of black and silver running down its back.
Split into simpler sentences: The Black-backed jackal ("Canis mesomelas") is an mammal of the carnivora. It is a canid with a fox-like appearance, tan fur, and a thick stripe of black and silver running down its back.