Asinus, commonly known as asses, is a subgenus of Equus that encompasses several species of Equidae characterized by long ears, a lean, straight-backed build, a scant tail, and a reputation for considerable toughness and endurance.
The common donkey or "ass" is the best-known representative of the subgenus, with both domesticated and feral varieties, ranging in size from the small burro to the horse-sized "Mammoth Jack" and other breeds. There is not a formal cutoff between the terminology "donkey" and "ass," though smaller animals are usually called donkeys and larger animals are asses. Both can be used to create a mule, which is a hybrid animal produced by a cross of a male donkey and a female horse.
Wild asses include a number of truly wild (never domesticated) species of Asinus that live in Asia and Africa.
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