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Call: Greater short-horned lizard(Phrynosoma hernandesi
Where they live: North and Central America
What they consume: Ants, spiders and other little pests
Why they’re amazing: Greater short-horned lizards have a squat, flat shape and brief snouts, that makes them look more like amphibians than reptiles– for this reason the label “horny toads.” These lizards are most well-known for their uncommon defense system: When threatened, they spray a stream of blood from their eyes up to a range of 5 feet (1.5 meters).
They do this by limiting the blood circulation leaving their heads, which increases high blood pressure and triggers small capillary to break around the eyes. They shoot the blood at predators to trigger confusion, providing a possibility to leave.
Around 8 types of horned lizards are believed to utilize this grisly technique, called autohaemorrhaging.
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Greater short-horned lizards, which grow to around 6 inches(15 centimeters)long, might launch a 3rd of theirits overall blood supply by doing this.
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While it does not appear to hinder birds, the blood does impact dogs like pet dogs (Canis familiariscoyotes (Canis latransand foxes (Vulpeswhich shake their heads to eliminate it. The lizards appear to acknowledge this and are most likely to utilize it on pet dogs than on other predators.
The blood is laced with hazardous chemicals, which might originate from the poisonous harvester ants (Pogonomyrmexthat the lizards consume. Their blood isn’t toxic, it tastes undesirable to predators. Short-horned lizards aren’t impacted by the venom of the harvester ants they feed upon since a chemical in their blood plasma neutralizes it. They likewise produce big quantities of mucous to incapacitate the bugs, allowing the lizards to swallow them without getting harmed by the venom.
Blood squirting isn’t short-horned lizards’ only defense. They have actually mottled skin and flat bodies, making them really well-camouflaged. Their bodies are covered in sharp spinal columns, consisting of 2 big head spikes. If a predator tries to bite them, the tough lizards bow their headexposing the horns to the predator’s mouth.
The lizards can likewise inflate themselves to two times their regular size when assaulted. Not just does this make them look more frightening, it can trigger predators attempting to swallow them to choke.
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