Roundtail horned lizard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roundtail horned lizard |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Phrynosoma
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| Species: |
modestum
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The roundtail horned lizard (Phrynosoma modestum) is a small type of horned lizard. Its scientific name, modestum, comes from a Latin word meaning "modest" or "calm."
You can find these lizards in the United States, specifically in western Texas, New Mexico, eastern Arizona, and southeastern Colorado. They also live in eight states in north-central Mexico, where people call them "tapayaxtin."
Where Roundtail Horned Lizards Live
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Roundtail horned lizards like places that are rocky and sandy. They prefer dry areas with not many plants. These lizards often live near colonies of harvester ants or honeypot ants. This is because these ants are their main food source.
What Roundtail Horned Lizards Look Like
The color of a roundtail horned lizard usually matches the soil where it lives. Most of them are a uniform grey color. However, they can also be light brown or even a pale yellow. Sometimes, they have darker areas around their neck and hips. You might also see stripes on their tail.
These lizards have a short, flat, and round body. They have short legs and small heads. Their heads have a special crest of horns that are all about the same length. Unlike other horned lizards, they do not have a fringe of scales on their sides. They also do not try to flatten themselves to the ground to hide their shadow. Instead, they hunch their bodies to look like a rock. This helps them camouflage and blend in with their surroundings.
The largest roundtail horned lizards can grow to about 7 cm (2.7 in) long from their snout to their tail base. Their total length, including their tail, can reach about 10.5 cm (4.3 in).
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Roundtail horned lizards are oviparous. This means they lay eggs. They usually breed and lay their eggs in the early summer.
