Stats

Lifespan

5-8 yrs

Size

Small

Diet

Insectivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Desert

Range

North America

Movement

Walking

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Spines

Status

Uncommon

About

A squat, spiky-bodied lizard of Texas scrublands with a crown of head horns, camouflaged to vanish against sandy soil. When truly cornered it can squirt a jet of blood from its eyes to deter predators like coyotes.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   hatchling

   A miniature reptile emerges from its egg already independent.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A juvenile sheds and grows, often duller-colored than adults.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown with adult size and coloration.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →
• Watch on YouTube →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Reptilia

Order

Squamata

Family

Phrynosomatidae

Genus

Phrynosoma

Species

Phrynosoma cornutum