The Greater Short-horned Lizard body is broad and flattened. The back is spiny, with an especially noticeable single row of scales fringing each side of the body. The spines at the back of the head are about as long as wide at the base. The coloration of the back usually blends cryptically with the soil and can vary somewhat from region to region and at single localities. In males, there is a swelling at the base of the tail, and the tail is proportionally longer than in females.
Ten Facts about Greater Short-horned Lizard
- The Greater Short-Horned Lizard ranges in size from 2-5 inches (4.5-12.4 centimeters) in length.
- The Short-horned Lizard is the most widely distributed lizard in North America and occurs in the widest range of habitats:
- This species is frequently found in a wide range of habitats like shortgrass praries, sagebrush deserts and juniper, pine or fir forests.
- This species is an invertivore. The diet of Greater Short-horned Lizards includes especially ants and beetles, as well as other insects, spiders, snails, sowbugs, and other invertebrates.
- The mating season for this species is in spring (May to June).
- The young will measure about 24 mm from snout to vent and weigh each about one gram.
- Males will become sexually active after their first year of life and females generally take two years before they can start reproducing.
- These lizards are also known as Horny Toad.
- There weight is about 4.5 - 5.6 grams (about the weight of a Nickel [5.0 grams] or a Quarter [5.67 grams].
- If threatened by predators, horned lizards will squirt blood from the eyes. The squirting blood comes from ducts in the corners of their eyes and can travel a distance of up to three feet (one meter).
