Pygmy Short-Horned Lizard

At a glance

Pygmy Short-Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma douglasii) is an IUCN Least Concern reptile with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.

Confirmed by 661 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Oregon, Washington, and Idaho the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Notable details

• One of the smallest horned lizards in North America, with adults typically just 2–3 inches snout-to-vent.
• Unlike most lizards, pygmy short-horned lizards give birth to live young rather than laying eggs.
• Ants dominate its diet throughout the year.
• Range extends from southern British Columbia south through the Great Basin into California and Nevada.
• Relies on cryptic coloration matching sandy and rocky soils to avoid detection by predators.

Where Pygmy Short-Horned Lizard are seen

• Oregon294 iNat obs
• Washington249 iNat obs
• Idaho84 iNat obs
• California26 iNat obs
• Nevada8 iNat obs

Jurisdictions with rules for Pygmy Short-Horned Lizard

• CaliforniaUnited States · official source

Background

The pygmy short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma douglasii) is a species of small horned lizard that occurs in the northwestern United States as well as in the southwestern Canada. Like other horned lizards, it is often called a "horned toad" or "horny toad," but it is not a toad at all. It is a reptile, not an amphibian.

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Pygmy Short-Horned Lizard article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.

Other reptiles on CatchRules

• Pond SliderTrachemys scripta
• Painted TurtleChrysemys picta
• North American RacerColuber constrictor
• Ornate Tree LizardUrosaurus ornatus