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Sun 28 May, 2006 09:55 am
Horned Toads Hurl Hemoglobin?
What's a lizard going to do, when its first, second and third lines of defense, fail? Why, shoot blood at its enemies, of course. Out of their eyes.
The horned toad, is one of the few species able to perform this rather unique stunt. And they aren't even a toad. It's actually a lizard, with a short, bloated body shape that gives it the appearance of that ugly amphibian. However, like many other things in nature, that short body has a purpose. It allows the lizard to flatten itself in the wild, casting less of a shadow on the ground, so it blends into the environment.
Commonly found in Texas, the horny toad is dressed in typical lizard style, with skin ranging from brown to gray in color, and sometimes with blotches. The skin comes accessorized with nasty looking spikes, which can ruin the appetite of hungry opportunists looking for lunch. Being a cold-blooded creature, they're normally found in hotter spots, although some varieties live in mountainous habitats.
The lizards are king of the "chicken" game, remaining frozen in place, while predators pass them by. Those who pause to look, may be treated to a display of huffing and puffing, whereby the horny toad/lizard blows up their body to look threatening. But when their enemies do spot them, and playing "statue" doesn't work, the lizard reserves their last ditch effort for a do-or-die situation when trapped and about to be killed.
Whether it is a fear reaction, or purposeful tactic, the lizard increases the blood pressure in their head, until small blood vessels rupture, causing blood to squirt from their tear ducts. While not all horny toads can do this, it's likely enough to make some predators go looking for an alternative diet.
When threatened, the horned toad shoots blood from it's eyes.
We used to play with them. Never witnessed the blood-out-of-the-eye trick. They have totally vanished from the parts of the state I have lived in.
Why is that, Edgar? Pollution, predators, etc?
Where peoples goes, nothing grows.
The rabbits, armadillos and the like are slowly vanishing too. That leaves possums, raccoons and deer in plentiful supply so far, in the immediate area.
I saw one last year in Gruene. First time I've seen one in the "wild."
Checking in, listening.
Man, that hurts m'eyeballs to contemplate. Talk about interocular opthalmic pressure...
I see before me, as I am newly moved to a recent - but not all so recent -one, that new developments are really disruptive to the existing land. Well, I knew that, I used to do irrigation and planting design, and sometimes model home landscape construction design for a big time development company, and I dropped that ball on purpose after I got tuned in to the rigamarole of planting lawns in deserts, not to mention hurrying up about it. I suppose the nature of desertification and rebound from it is arguable conceptually, but in the meantime, we don't have water in the west for verdant lawns at high temps. Fantastic waste, these developments, in so many ways. Meantime, here in ABQ. I can only see stuff moving ahead on a lick and a promise. Dagnabbit, I suppose I am going to have to study up and get involved.
The are a number of reasons for the horned toad's demise. In the fifties they were commonly sold as pets, and all of them died because they have a specialized diet of certain species of ants. The firt ant has had a devastating effect on horned toads. One of this lizard's favorite food is the harvester ant, an animal that has been pushed out by the fire ant. A third reason is the common use of perticides, especially around cities.
Harvester ant mound.
Thanks for the background info.
An analagous, non-related species occurs in Australia, the thorny devil--Moloch horridus. Both moloch and horned toads are armed with spines and have very large stomachs to hold huge numbers of ants. Since ants are so small the non-nutritious exoskeleton is very high in ratio to the whole body volume.
Whoa! That dude is seriously horney.
Horned lizard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Horned Lizards
Short-horned Lizard
Short-horned Lizard
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Sauria
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Genus: Phrynosoma
Wiegmann, 1828
Species
See text.
Horned lizards (Phrynosoma) are a genus of the Phrynosomatidae family of lizards. The horned lizard is popularly called a "horned toad," "horny toad", or "horned frog," but it is neither a toad nor a frog. The popular names come from the lizard's rounded body and blunt snout, which give it a decidedly toad-like or frog-like appearance. (Phrynosoma literally means "toad-bodied.") The lizard's "horns" are not true horns, but modified spiney scales.
There are 14 species of horned lizards in North America, 8 of which are native to the United States. The largest-bodied and most widely distributed of the U.S. species is the Texas horned lizard (P. cornutum).
Horned lizards are morphologically similar to the Australian thorny devil (Moloch horridus), but are only distantly related. Though due to other unique similarities, such as being sit and wait predators and prey upon ants, these two are considered to be a great example of convergent evolution.
Horned lizards carry with them a wide variety of means to avoid predation. Their coloration generally serves as camouflage. When threatened, a horned lizard puffs up its body to cause its spiny scales to protrude, making it difficult to swallow. At least four species also have the ability to squirt an aimed stream of blood from the corners of the eyes for a distance of up to 3 feet. This not only confuses would-be predators, the blood is mixed with a noxious biochemical that is foul-tasting to wolves, coyotes, bobcats, and domestic dogs and cats.
About 70% of the horned lizard's diet is made up of harvester ants, though they supplement these with termites, beetles, and grasshoppers. In California, Texas, and other states, horned lizards are considered threatened, though none are on the federal endangered species list. The Texas horned lizard has declined in about 30% of its range, though there is some indication it may be making a comeback. Some California horned lizard species are also in decline. The decline is usually blamed on overuse of pesticides and the spread of non-native South American ants. In California, the introduced species is the Argentine ant. In Texas, it is both the Argentine ant and the Brazilian fire ant. Both species are highly aggressive, fiercely territorial, and eradicate harvester ant colonies, destroying the horned lizard's principal source of food.
Some Native American peoples regarded horned lizards as sacred. The animal is a common motiff in the art many Native Americans in the Southwestern U.S. and in Mexico.
The horned lizard is the state reptile of both Texas and Wyoming, and as the "horned frog," is the mascot of Texas Christian University (TCU).
[edit]
Species
* Giant Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma asio (Cope, 1864)
* Short-tailed Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma braconnieri (Duméril, 1870)
* Cedros Island Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma cerroense (Stejneger, 1893)
* Texas Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma cornutum (Harlan, 1825)
* Coast Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma coronatum
* Cape Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma coronatum coronatum (Blainville, 1835)
* San Diego Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma coronatum blainvillii (Gray, 1839)
* California Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma coronatum frontale (Van Denburgh, 1894)
* Central Peninsular Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma coronatum jamesi (Schmidt, 1922)
* Northern Peninsular Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma coronatum schmidti (Barbour, 1921)
* Rock Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma ditmarsi (Stejneger, 1906)
* Short-horned Lizard, Phrynosoma douglassii
* Phrynosoma douglassi brachycercum (Smith, 1942)
* Phrynosoma douglasii douglasii (Bell, 1828)
* Mountain Short-horned Lizard, Phrynosoma hernandesi (Girard, 1858)
* Flat-tail Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma mcallii (Hallowell, 1852)
* Roundtail Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma modestum (Girard, 1852)
Comparison of P. modestum and P. platyrhinos
Enlarge
Comparison of P. modestum and P. platyrhinos
* Mexican Plateau Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma orbiculare
* Phrynosoma orbiculare boucardii (Duméril & Bocourt, 1870)
* Phrynosoma orbiculare bradti (Horowitz, 1955)
* Phrynosoma orbiculare orbiculare (Linnaeus, 1789)
* Phrynosoma orbiculare orinetale (Horowitz, 1955)
* Phrynosoma orbiculare cortezii (Duméril & Bocourt, 1870)
* Phrynosoma orbiculare dugesii (Duméril & Bocourt, 1870)
* Desert Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma platyrhinos
* Southern Desert Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum (Cope, 1896)
* Northern Desert Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos (Girard, 1852)
* Sonoran Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma platyrhinos goodei (Stejneger, 1893)
* Regal Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma solare (Gray, 1845)
* Mexican Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma taurus (Dugés, 1873)
* Gulf Coast Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma wigginsi (Montanucci, 20Horned lizard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
?
Horned Lizards
Short-horned Lizard
Short-horned Lizard
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Sauria
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Genus: Phrynosoma
Wiegmann, 1828
Species
See text.
Horned lizards (Phrynosoma) are a genus of the Phrynosomatidae family of lizards. The horned lizard is popularly called a "horned toad," "horny toad", or "horned frog," but it is neither a toad nor a frog. The popular names come from the lizard's rounded body and blunt snout, which give it a decidedly toad-like or frog-like appearance. (Phrynosoma literally means "toad-bodied.") The lizard's "horns" are not true horns, but modified spiney scales.
There are 14 species of horned lizards in North America, 8 of which are native to the United States. The largest-bodied and most widely distributed of the U.S. species is the Texas horned lizard (P. cornutum).
Horned lizards are morphologically similar to the Australian thorny devil (Moloch horridus), but are only distantly related. Though due to other unique similarities, such as being sit and wait predators and prey upon ants, these two are considered to be a great example of convergent evolution.
Horned lizards carry with them a wide variety of means to avoid predation. Their coloration generally serves as camouflage. When threatened, a horned lizard puffs up its body to cause its spiny scales to protrude, making it difficult to swallow. At least four species also have the ability to squirt an aimed stream of blood from the corners of the eyes for a distance of up to 3 feet. This not only confuses would-be predators, the blood is mixed with a noxious biochemical that is foul-tasting to wolves, coyotes, bobcats, and domestic dogs and cats.
About 70% of the horned lizard's diet is made up of harvester ants, though they supplement these with termites, beetles, and grasshoppers. In California, Texas, and other states, horned lizards are considered threatened, though none are on the federal endangered species list. The Texas horned lizard has declined in about 30% of its range, though there is some indication it may be making a comeback. Some California horned lizard species are also in decline. The decline is usually blamed on overuse of pesticides and the spread of non-native South American ants. In California, the introduced species is the Argentine ant. In Texas, it is both the Argentine ant and the Brazilian fire ant. Both species are highly aggressive, fiercely territorial, and eradicate harvester ant colonies, destroying the horned lizard's principal source of food.
Some Native American peoples regarded horned lizards as sacred. The animal is a common motiff in the art many Native Americans in the Southwestern U.S. and in Mexico.
The horned lizard is the state reptile of both Texas and Wyoming, and as the "horned frog," is the mascot of Texas Christian University (TCU).
[edit]
Species
* Giant Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma asio (Cope, 1864)
* Short-tailed Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma braconnieri (Duméril, 1870)
* Cedros Island Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma cerroense (Stejneger, 1893)
* Texas Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma cornutum (Harlan, 1825)
* Coast Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma coronatum
* Cape Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma coronatum coronatum (Blainville, 1835)
* San Diego Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma coronatum blainvillii (Gray, 1839)
* California Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma coronatum frontale (Van Denburgh, 1894)
* Central Peninsular Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma coronatum jamesi (Schmidt, 1922)
* Northern Peninsular Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma coronatum schmidti (Barbour, 1921)
* Rock Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma ditmarsi (Stejneger, 1906)
* Short-horned Lizard, Phrynosoma douglassii
* Phrynosoma douglassi brachycercum (Smith, 1942)
* Phrynosoma douglasii douglasii (Bell, 1828)
* Mountain Short-horned Lizard, Phrynosoma hernandesi (Girard, 1858)
* Flat-tail Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma mcallii (Hallowell, 1852)
* Roundtail Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma modestum (Girard, 1852)
Comparison of P. modestum and P. platyrhinos
Enlarge
Comparison of P. modestum and P. platyrhinos
* Mexican Plateau Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma orbiculare
* Phrynosoma orbiculare boucardii (Duméril & Bocourt, 1870)
* Phrynosoma orbiculare bradti (Horowitz, 1955)
* Phrynosoma orbiculare orbiculare (Linnaeus, 1789)
* Phrynosoma orbiculare orinetale (Horowitz, 1955)
* Phrynosoma orbiculare cortezii (Duméril & Bocourt, 1870)
* Phrynosoma orbiculare dugesii (Duméril & Bocourt, 1870)
* Desert Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma platyrhinos
* Southern Desert Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum (Cope, 1896)
* Northern Desert Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos (Girard, 1852)
* Sonoran Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma platyrhinos goodei (Stejneger, 1893)
* Regal Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma solare (Gray, 1845)
* Mexican Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma taurus (Dugés, 1873)
* Gulf Coast Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma wigginsi (Montanucci, 2004)
Could be that the lacrimal sacks are involved in the ejection of blood from the corners of the eyes.
Sorry for the duplication in my post. I don't know how that happened.
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