Type of Scales: Fringed scales, Spines and granular

Texas Horned Lizards(THL) are symbols of Texas, just like the Nine-banded Armadillo and Western Diamondbacked Rattlesnake. However, unlike the other two species, Horned Lizards numbers have declined over the last 30 or so years. Many reasons can be blamed for their decline, such as loss of habitat, South American Fire Ants, outdoor pets, pesticides, decline of Red Harvester Ants, and over collecting for the pet trade. Hopefully, with state protection, our Official State Reptile will make a comeback.

Texas horned Lizards are specialists and almost exclusively eat Red Harvester Ants. Horned Lizards will often lie at mound sites and eat a few hundred ants at one sitting. Horned Lizard feces consist of the exoskeleton of ants, so it is easy to tell if the feces are from them.

At one time, they were found throughout Texas except for a small area in East Texas, but now they are mainly found in West and South Texas. If you are interested in help to track this species, please visit Texas Parks and Wildlife department's Texas Horned Lizard Watch's website.

Please note that Texas Horned Lizards are listed as a threatened species in Texas, please do not collect them or move them. All pictures of Texas Horned Lizards in hand were either photographed during a permitted Herp Survey at Seminole Canyon State Park or photographed in New Mexico.

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