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mountain horned lizard :: Article Creator

Short-Horned Lizard

Common Name: Short-Horned Lizard Scientific Name: Phrynosoma hernandesi Size relative to a teacup: IUCN Red List Status:? Least concern

Least Concern Extinct

Current Population Trend: Stable

The short-horned lizard is often referred to as a "horned toad" or "horny toad" because its squat, flattened shape and short, blunt snout give it a toad-ish look. There are over a dozen recognized horned-lizard species found in the deserts and semi-arid environments of North and Central America, from southern Canada to Guatemala.

Characteristics and Diet

Species are distinguishable by the formidable crown of horns adorning their head and the numerous spines across their back. Their coloring can be yellowish, gray, or reddish-brown depending on the environment they inhabit, and, combined with their shape, affords them considerable camouflage on the surface. They feed primarily on ants, waiting for one to unsuspectingly crawl by before snapping it in and swallowing it whole. They are also known to eat grasshoppers, beetles, and spiders.

Defensive Adaptations

Despite their spiky features, short-horned lizards are preyed upon by a number of creatures, including hawks, roadrunners, snakes, lizards, dogs, wolves, and coyotes. Consequently, beyond their natural camouflage, they have adapted a pair of remarkable talents. In order to ward off hungry predators, short-horned lizards are capable of inflating their bodies up to twice their size, resembling a spiny balloon. And if this proves insufficient, some species employ one of the animal kingdom's most bizarre defensive mechanisms: they shoot blood from their eyes.

The ominous squirting blood emanates from ducts in the corners of their eyes and can travel a distance of up to three feet. It's meant to confuse would-be predators, but also contains a chemical that is noxious to dogs, wolves, and coyotes.

Threats to Survival

Over recent decades short-horn lizard populations have been in decline throughout their range. Destruction of their native habitat, efforts to eradicate ants—their staple food—and the pet trade have all contributed to this.


SAVING THE FLAT-TAILED HORNED LIZARD

SAVING THE FLAT-TAILED HORNED LIZARD

With its cryptic coloration and flat body, the flat-tailed horned lizard is capable of disappearing on the desert floor. When a predator threatens, the lizard may run a short distance and then stop unexpectedly; next, it will lie motionless and blend into the sand, leaving its predator befuddled. But as farms and cities spread and off-road vehicles tear up the terrain, the flat-tailed horned lizard's disappearing act may soon be all too real.

In 1980, the flat-tailed horned lizard in California was designated a sensitive species by the Bureau of Land Management. But it was not until 1993 that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finally proposed listing the lizard as a threatened species. Since then, the species has been proposed for consideration three times by the agency, which has each time subsequently withdrawn its own listing proposal. In reaction to the second withdrawal in 2001, the Center and its allies — including the Tucson Herpetological Society, Horned Lizard Conservation Society and Defenders of Wildlife — filed suit against the agency in 2003. We won in 2005 when a federal court ruled that the Service's withdrawal of its proposed rule was a violation of the Endangered Species Act. Yet in 2006, the Service again withdrew its proposal to list, and we went to court once more.

In 2007, the second withdrawal was upheld by the court, and the Center and allies appealed. In 2009, a federal district court ruled that the Service's decision to deny the lizard protection was illegal, reinstating the species' status as a proposed threatened species under the Endangered Species Act — but the Service again withdrew its listing proposal in 2011. The Center's work to protect the lizard includes ongoing advocacy to defend the Algodones Dunes from off-road excess and control urban sprawl in Southern California.


This Colorado Lizard Can Shoot Blood From Its Eyes As A Defense

If you were to describe a lizard that shoots blood from its eyes, you would think that something like this would come straight out of a sci-fi movie. While it may sound made up, it is something that one Colorado lizard does as a form of defense.

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the reptile known as the Texas Horned Lizard is said to have acidic blood due to having an ant-rich diet. The blood from the lizard is probably less than appealing to the lizard's prey. The Texas Horned Lizard goes by many names. Some of those names include the Horned Toad or the Horny Toad due to its spike on the head and along the body.

RELATED: FIRST WOLF DEN FOUND IN COLORADO SINCE REINTRODUCTION

The blood from the Texas Horned Toad comes from the ducts near the eyes. This blood-squirting defense mechanism can shoot blood up to three feet and contains toxins that are noxious to dogs, wolves, and coyotes.

Texas Horned Toads in Colorado

These blood-squirting lizards can be found in numerous states including Colorado. While the Texas Horned Toad may be in Colorado, you cannot find the lizard throughout the state. These Texas Horned Lizards can be spotted in the southeastern part of Colorado. While you might want to catch a glimpse of the infamous blood-squirting lizard, you might be hard-pressed to witness one in the flesh as they are masters of camouflage. However, if you do happen to spot one, leave it alone. The Texas Horned Lizard has a spot-on aim when it comes to shooting blood from its eyes.

Vintage Footage: When Feeding Wildlife in Colorado was Encouraged

Check out some very old documentation of Colorado staples such as Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak from a time when feeding the wildlife was encouraged.

Gallery Credit: Nate Wilde

Don't Get Bit: 12 Venomous Spiders You May Run Into In Colorado

Colorado is home to several different types of venomous spiders that like to hide in your window wells and crawl spaces. Keep going to take a look at twelve venomous spiders that live here in the Centennial State and what to do if you get bit by one of them.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams





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