The Horned Toad and It's Unusual Defense Mechanisms.

The other day I saw the most interesting-looking lizard. It was spiky and round, looking just like a miniature dinosaur just hanging out in my friend's driveway. However, it wasn't a prehistoric reptile or anything crazy; it was a horned toad. Horned toads are very common in Arizona, but they aren't at all like the other lizards you see. They have unique defense mechanisms, strategic hunting patterns, and the ability to spray blood out of their eyes.

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brown reptile — Photo by Cynthia Beilmann on Unsplash

An Arizona Oddity

Despite its name, the horned toad isn't a toad at all. It is a lizard native to numerous arid areas in the state. They are relatively small, typically growing between 2.5 and 5.5 inches in length. Because they live alongside heavy-hitting predators, they have evolved into absolute masters of disguise.

Their flattened bodies and rocky textures match our sandy soils perfectly. When threatened, they shake themselves side to side until they are completely buried in the sand, leaving only their horns visible. This is effective a lot of the time, but it is far from the only survival technique they possess.

brown lizard on brown soil in close-up photography — Photo by Duncan Sanchez on Unsplash

Pest Control

Not only do horned toads look awesome, but they also play a vital role in our local ecosystem. They are specialized insectivores whose diet consists almost entirely of harvester ants. A single lizard can sit by an ant mound and calmly gobble up hundreds of ants a day.

Using a patient, "sit-and-wait" ambush hunting style, they remain perfectly still and snap up passing prey with a sticky tongue. When ants are scarce, they also snack on beetles, spiders, and grasshoppers.

READ ABOUT ARIZONA INSECTS: What To Know About Arizona's Most Painful Insects

a close up of a small lizard on the ground — Photo by Patrick Mayor on Unsplash

Survival Techniques

While these lizards are expert ant hunters, they don't do so well against big predators found in the area, like snakes and birds. To survive, their sharp spikes act as armor, and they can inflate their bodies to look bigger and too difficult to swallow.

When all of their other defense mechanisms fail, the horned toad resorts to its ultimate defense: spraying blood out of its eyes. This lizard has a unique biology that allows it to restrict blood flow from its head until the intense pressure causes it to squirt a foul-tasting stream of blood directly out of its eyes! This weird trick can shoot up to five feet, leaving predators like coyotes gagging while the lizard escapes.

READ: Arizona's State Mammal, The Ringtail, Explained

a lizard sitting on top of a rock — Photo by Jocelyn on Unsplash

Spotting a horned toad is a classic Arizona experience that reminds us just how wild and wonderful our backyard truly is. These tiny armored reptiles play a vital role in the local ecosystem, look cool, and have a unique defense mechanism that can scare anyone. If you find one, marvel at its spikes, snap a picture, and leave it to its ant-hunting duties.

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