Facts about Horned Lizard

1. 08

   Cryptic coloration allows horned lizards to match their surrounding soil and rock colors so precisely that predators often step within inches of them without noticing.

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2. 07

   A horned lizard's crown of cranial spikes consists of approximately 8 to 14 bony protrusions per individual, varying by species and serving both defensive and thermoregulatory purposes.

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3. 06

   During extreme heat, horned lizards enter a state of torpor where their metabolic rate drops by up to 90 percent, allowing them to survive prolonged droughts lasting several months.

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4. 05

   Fewer than 8 of the 15 horned lizard species native to North America remain common today due to habitat loss and invasive fire ants displacing their native ant prey.

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5. 04

   Horned lizards can survive in desert environments for weeks without drinking water by absorbing moisture directly through their skin from damp soil.

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6. 03

   Phrynosoma species have flattened, disc-shaped bodies that allow them to wedge into rock crevices and remain motionless for hours while hunting for passing insects.

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7. 02

   Texas horned lizards consume up to 600 harvester ants daily, relying almost exclusively on this single food source for nutrition.

   Horned LizardMay 14sharedietbiologybehavior
8. 01

   Blood squirted from the eye sockets of horned lizards can travel up to 6 feet when threatened by predators.

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