In Central America and in the southwest of this mainland, as well as in some parts of Mexico, a mysterious, unusual and incredibly intelligent beauty called the horned lizard lives. So the iguana was called so for a reason: on its body there is a huge number of sharp spikes, and on its head there is a pointed crown of them.
This is a reptile that is different from its counterparts at times. She also feeds on ants, has the ability to regenerate, and has the unique ability to become part of the landscape. But there are some features thanks to which the horned lizard was able to reach, as it were, a new level of development and evolution. But first things first.
Mystery of the name
It was mentioned above that due to the extensive arrangement of spikes on the body and head of the reptile, she received the nickname horned, but in scientific materials such an iguana is called a toad-shaped (from the Latin word Phrynosoma). This is because her body is flat and round, and her legs are short. She is very reminiscent of a toad. Phrynos means "toad" and soma means "body". The color of the horned lizard is as close as possible to the colors of the environment in which it lives. Most often it is the color of the earthor sand, well, or both colors mixed.
But that's not all the secrets that the horned lizard hides. The name bloody is also quite suitable for her. This is because she has one unique ability to scare away her opponents with her own blood. And she shoots it out of her eyes. Such a phenomenal ability can easily scare away the terrestrial opponents of the horned lizard, but the birds are not at all afraid of this method of intimidation.
Strategic abilities of the toad-like reptile
If we talk about lizards, considering them as a whole, then they have some similar features regarding protection from attack. For example, they are great at hiding due to their coloration, and freeze beautifully, becoming part of the environment. The horned lizard, like its other counterparts, performs all these simple manipulations. However, she is endowed with other abilities that distinguish her from other types of iguanas, making her a strategist capable of constructive thinking.
So, strategic abilities of the horned lizard:
- Besides the fact that she freezes at the sight of danger, the lizard carefully watches the opponent. If he declassifies it and continues to go on the offensive, the reptile begins to move around the area in small dashes, periodically stopping and again falling into a stupor. Such behavior can easily confuse the enemy, and he will retreat with nothing.
- If all of the above manipulations failhelped, and the danger still threatens the life of the iguana, the toad-like lizard is able to cling tightly to the ground, as if flattening its coin-like body. This method helps the reptile survive because the enemy cannot pick it off the ground.
- The last defense is to spit blood at the opponent. All ground opponents of the iguana immediately capitulate. The lizard rarely uses this maneuver, and not all individuals of this species are capable of it.
But what is the correct name for this unusual lizard?
One reptile with different names still remains itself. When answering the question of what the horned lizard is called, you can use names such as toad-shaped or bloody. Both options are correct.
