Northern Desert Horned Lizard
Encyclopedia
The northern desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos) is a subspecies
of the desert horned lizard
. It is often referred to as a "horny toad" due to its wide body and blunt snout, but it is not a toad.
on its back. Its color typically varies depending on the local environment, ranging from shades of red, brown, gray, and tan to match the color of the soil and/or rocks in which it resides. Adult males average smaller than females.
s, but it will eat other insect
s as well. Its typical hunting method involves digging itself into the sand
, leaving only its head exposed, and waiting for prey to pass by.
area of North America
. It occurs primarily in Nevada
, where its range covers most of the state, but its territory also extends into parts of Idaho
, Utah
, and Oregon
.
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the desert horned lizard
Desert horned lizard
The desert horned lizard is a species of phrynosomatid lizard native to western North America. They are often referred to as "horny toads", although they are not toads, but lizards.-Description:...
. It is often referred to as a "horny toad" due to its wide body and blunt snout, but it is not a toad.
Description
It ranges in size between 2.5 to 3.75 in (6.4 to 9.5 cm) from snout to vent, and can get to 5.5 inches (14 cm) long including the tail. Like all horned lizards, it features horns on the back of its head and sharp scalesScale (zoology)
In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...
on its back. Its color typically varies depending on the local environment, ranging from shades of red, brown, gray, and tan to match the color of the soil and/or rocks in which it resides. Adult males average smaller than females.
Diet
Its diet mostly consists of antAnt
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
s, but it will eat other insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s as well. Its typical hunting method involves digging itself into the sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
, leaving only its head exposed, and waiting for prey to pass by.
Geographic distribution
P. p. platyrhinos is native to the Great Basin DesertGreat Basin Desert
The Great Basin Desert is an area of nearctic high deserts across parts of Nevada, California, and Utah that extends into the Colorado River watershed , but which is mostly a portion of the central Nevada desert basins of the Great Basin.It along with the Escalante Desert, Mohave Desert, the...
area of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It occurs primarily in Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, where its range covers most of the state, but its territory also extends into parts of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, and Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.