Short-Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma douglassi)

Adult Size: 2½" to 5¾"

Description: Flat-bodied; the head is crowned by stubby spines interrupted at the rear by deep notch in the skull. One row of pointed scales fringe the trunk. The underside scales are smooth. Coloration is gray, yellowish, or reddish-brown with 2 rows of large dark spots down the back.

Habitat: Varies, from open rocky or sandy plains to forested areas, found from sea level to above 9,000 feet.

Breeding: Litters of 6 to 31 young are born alive in July to August.

Range: Southern British Columbia to northern California, southern Idaho, and most of Utah; southern Saskatchewan, southeast to Kansas, and south into Mexico. Separate populations in western Texas.

Diet: Feeds primarily on ants, but occasionally eats other insects, snails, sow bugs, even small snakes.

Behavior: Diurnal. This species is most active during the midday warmth. At night it burrows into the soil.

Video

Conservation Status:

Additonal Notes:

Subspecies: Numerous with only 5 in our region

Pygmy Short-Horned Lizard (P.d. douglassi) - coloration is brownish to bluish-gray with very small head spines pointed vertically. Found in southern British Columbia through Washington, eastern Oregon and southern Idaho to northern California and nothern Nevada. Photo...

Eastern Short-Horned Lizard (P.d. brevirostre) - ill-defined light border around dark spots, spines are horizontal. Found in central Montana and adjacent Canada south to the western Dakotas, Nebraska, northwestern Kansas, and eastern Colorado. Photo...

Mountain Short-Horned Lizard (P.d. hernandesi) - reddish spines are prominent and horizintal. Found from southern Utah and western Colorado south through Arizona, northwestern New Mexico into Mexico. Photo...

Desert Short-Horned Lizard (P.d. orantissimum) - dark spots are partly light bordered and the spines are horizontal. Found in extreme south-central Wyoming through western Colorado to New Mexico and eastern Arizona, with disjunct populations in southeastern New Mexico and western Texas. Photo...

Slat Lake Short-Horned Lizard (P.d. orantum) - nearly uniformly gray with horizontal spines. Found in central and northern Utah, northeastern Nevada, and extreme southeastern Idaho. Photo...