The Horned Toad Isn't a Toad at All

The Horned Toad or Horney Toad, as it is often referred, is not a toad at all, it is in fact a lizard. It's round, short snout and flattened bodies, often resemble that of a toad, hence the name.

Horned Toads or lizards are scientifically called, Phrynosoma and belong to the group Phrynosomatidae, New World lizards. North America is home to 14 different species of horned toads. Of those 14, 8 are from the United States. New World Lizards include the California Rock lizards, Spiny lizards, Zebra-tailed lizards, Greater earless lizards and Fringe toed lizards to name a few.

What looks like spikes on its sides and back are actually altered scales, now the horns on its head, really are horns and made of bone. Their colors can be reddish brown, gray or yellowish depending on its location. Their colors allow them to blend with their surrounding, to avoid detection from predators.

Other ways in which they protect themselves from predators is to remain picture still and hope they are not seen. They may run and stop a few times to throw off a predator, or puff up their bodies and spikes, making them appear larger than they really are. A few species are able to squirt blood, up to three feet, from ducts in the corner of their eyes, to throw off predators.

Horned toad predators include coyotes, snakes, other lizards, hawks, roadrunners and wolves.

The diet of most horned toads consists of Harvester Ants, and sometimes small insects, beetles, termites and grasshoppers. A typical, healthy horned toad may eat anywhere from 20 to 100 Harvester Ants a day.

Their mating period is between April and June with eggs being laid weeks later. The young are on their own from the moment they are hatched. At only one inch long they bury themselves and soon start hunting. Adulthood is reached once they have aged three years.

The population of the horned toad has been declining due to their homes being destroyed and loss of food supply. A few states such as Texas and California have considered them a threatened species, and have been given protection by the state.

The state reptile for both Wyoming and Texas is the Horned lizard and the Texas Christian University mascot is a Horned Frog.

Sources:

infowest.com

Everything2.com

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