Phrynosoma Platyrhinos: The Desert Horned Lizard

The desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos) is a lizard with a flat, toad-like body and a row of horns on the back of the head. Hence, these lizards are also known as 'horned toads' or 'horny toads'. Desert horned lizards have two subspecies - the northern desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos) and the southern desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum). Both subspecies are found in different locations and differ by the size of their horns and the shape of the tail.

Appearance

Desert horned lizards have a body length of about 3 to 5 inches, with a tail length of around one inch. The edges of the flat body of these lizards are bordered with a row of scales. They also have a row of thorn-like scales on either side of the throat. Such scales are present on the dorsal part of the body too. They have slightly flattened heads with less tapered snouts, as compared to other species of lizards. The name ' platyrhinos' (means flat nose) is derived from this feature.

They have the ability to change the color of their bodies to match the color of the soil around them(camouflage). Generally, the dorsal part of their body is beige, tan or reddish-brown in color, with patches of a darker shade. The ventral part is mostly cream in color, with or without dark spots. The area around their neck has two prominent dark patches bordered with gray or white. In some lizards, the tail also sports dark patches, which form a band-like horizontal pattern. The most prominent feature of these lizards is the row of horns behind their head. These long horns are slightly broader at the base.

The two longest horns, behind the head of the southern desert horned lizards are longer and closely placed than that of the northern desert horned lizard. In the former, the tip of the tail is flat, as compared to that of the latter, which has a tail with a round tip. In case of juvenile desert horned lizards, they resemble the adults in looks, but have shorter cranial spines.

Distribution and Habitat

Desert horned lizards are native to North America, and are widely distributed from southeastern Oregon and southwestern Idaho to northwestern Mexico. The southern subspecies are found in southern Utah and Nevada to western Arizona, southeast California and northern Baja California and the northern subspecies are seen in Utah, Idaho and Nevada and southeastern Oregon. Desert horned lizards are commonly found in arid regions like low desert habitats with sand or loose soil. They prefer to inhabit sandy soils with woody shrubs, cacti, yucca, sage brush and grease wood. They are also found in regions filled with gravelly soils. As they cannot adapt to cold conditions, they are generally found at lower elevations.

Diet and Behavior

These lizards usually feed on ants and some slow-moving insects like beetles. They also eat spiders and parts of plants too. As their favorite food is ants, they can be seen near anthills, waiting to prey on passing ants. If the soil is sandy, they shake their body and cover themselves with sand, so that only their heads are exposed. This technique helps them hide from predators, while waiting for prey.

It is believed that these lizards have a gentle nature, but, when provoked, they produce a hissing sound and try to bite or thrust their spines into the skin of the predator. They also adopt the technique of puffing up their body, which gives a more bigger and fiercer look. In case of an attack by a predator, they can spray blood from their eyes to a distance of up to 5 feet. Apart from the above said defenses, these slow-moving lizards may also try to find cover in the nearby bushy areas. The mating season of desert horned lizards is in the spring, and from June to July, they lay eggs (usually 2 to 16). The incubation period is around 50 to 60 days and the eggs hatch in August-September. These babies reach maturity in about 22 months. Adult females are larger in size than their counterparts.

These lizards are also favored as pets, due to their gentle nature, but it is difficult for these creatures to adapt to a different habitat and they primarily depend on their favorite food, ants. These lizards are indeed very unique in their appearance and have a wondrous camouflaging ability.