Head to head
Short-Horned Lizard vs Roundtail Horned Lizard
A short-horned lizard and a roundtail horned lizard both belong to the same spiny-bodied family, yet each has taken horned lizard defense in a completely different direction, one leaning on cold tolerance and live birth, the other on all but disappearing entirely.
| Short-Horned Lizard | Roundtail Horned Lizard | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Phrynosoma hernandesi | Phrynosoma modestum |
| Horn size | Short but present | Notably blunt and reduced |
| Reproduction | Live birth | Egg-laying |
| Primary defense | Cold tolerance, camouflage | Camouflage and stillness |
| Habitat | Mountains and grassland | Desert grassland and scrub |
| Range extent | Furthest north of any horned lizard | Southwestern US and northern Mexico |
| Blood-squirting defense | Yes | Not typically documented |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Short-Horned Lizard vs Roundtail Horned Lizard: common questions
Which horned lizard lives in the coldest places?
The short-horned lizard tolerates colder conditions and occupies a range extending further north and to higher elevation than any other horned lizard species, including the roundtail horned lizard, which instead stays within warmer desert grassland and scrub habitat across the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Why does the roundtail horned lizard have such small horns?
The roundtail horned lizard carries distinctly blunt, reduced horns compared with most other horned lizard species including the short-horned lizard, a difference that reflects a defensive strategy built more around camouflage and stillness than the spinier defenses several of its relatives rely on.
Do both of these lizards lay eggs?
No, the short-horned lizard gives live birth rather than laying eggs, an adaptation suited to the cooler climates it occupies, while the roundtail horned lizard lays eggs in the warmer desert soil typical of its own more southern, lower-elevation range.