Type of Scales: Fringed scales, Spines and granular

Desert Horned Lizards are found from southeastern Oregon to southern Arizona. They inhabit Great Basin Deserts, Mojave Deserts & Sonoran Deserts. Often found along desert washes, and other sandy habitats. Often found close to desert scrubs such as creosote & sagebrushes.

Some lizard taxonomists feel that there are 2 different subspecies of Desert Horned Lizards, the Northern Desert Horned Lizard (P.p. platyrhinos) and the Southern Desert Horned Lizard (P.p. calidiarum).

Body coloration can vary depending on soil or sand color, often white, grey or reddish. Snout to vent length is usually around 3 inches or so. Like other species of Horned Lizards, their diet primary consists of harvester ants.

This Horned Lizard's latin species name is"platyrhinos," which means flat nose. It is not to be confused with the Eastern Hognosed Snake's Latin species name "platirhinos," which means broad nose.

Habitat destruction (off road vehicles, invasive species), pet collecting and roadkills are conservation problems for many species of desert lizards.

For better understanding of horned lizard natural history, please read Wade C. Sherbrooke's "Introduction to Horned Lizards of North America."

References