Greater Short-horned Lizard

Phrynosoma hernandesi

The Greater Short-horned Lizard is a small, spiky lizard that loves to bask in the sun. It can change colors to blend in with its surroundings, making it a great little hide-and-seek player in the wild!

Hábitat: Desert

Aspecto

The Greater Short-horned Lizard is a flat-bodied reptile with a spiky appearance, featuring a row of short, horn-like spines on its head. Its skin is typically mottled brown, grey, or tan, often with darker blotches, providing excellent camouflage against rocky or sandy ground.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloChordataClaseSquamataOrdenLacertiliaFamiliaPhrynosomatidaeGéneroPhrynosoma

Greater Short-horned Lizard

Categoría

Reptiles

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

Its 'horns' are actually modified scales, not true horns like on a bull.

They can survive freezing temperatures by burying themselves in the soil!

They use a special glue-like substance on their tongue to catch ants!

Unlike most lizards, this species gives birth to live babies, not eggs!

Habilidades especiales

Greater Short-horned Lizards can squirt a stream of blood from their eyes that helps them scare away predators like coyotes.

Greater Short-horned Lizards have sharp, bony spines all over their body that helps them become a prickly, tough meal for predators.

Greater Short-horned Lizards have mottled skin colors and a flat body that helps them blend perfectly into their surroundings.

Medidas y detalles

Longitud: 7-15 cm
Peso: 0.015-0.07 kg
Esperanza de vida: 5-8 años
Top Speed: 1.5 km/h

Dieta y alimentación

Tiny hunters, they mainly feast on ants, gulping them down with their specialized tongue!

Alimentos principales

Ants
Termites
Small Beetles
Spiders

Método de búsqueda

Ambush

Conexiones ecológicas

eaten by

Western Harvester Ant

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

A main food source, caught with a sticky tongue.

eaten by

Silky Ant

Formica fusca

Common ant species preyed upon by the lizard.

hunts

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

A common avian predator hunting from the sky.

hunts

Coyote

Canis latrans

Mammalian predator that hunts them on the ground.

hunts

Gopher Snake

Pituophis catenifer

A snake known to prey on small lizards.

Rasgos

Solitario

Los animales solitarios viven solos durante la mayor parte de su vida y solo interactúan con otros para aparearse o cuidar de sus crías.

Camuflado

El camuflaje describe a los organismos que poseen colores o patrones que les permiten mezclarse con su entorno.

Insectívoro

Este rasgo identifica a los organismos cuya dieta consiste principalmente en insectos y otros pequeños invertebrados.

Desierto

Los hábitats desérticos son regiones áridas caracterizadas por precipitaciones extremadamente bajas y, a menudo, temperaturas extremas, que albergan una flora y fauna especializadas.