Horned Lizards

Commonly known as "horny toads": at least, that is what we called them when I was growing up.  It is a confusing name, because they are not toads at all, but lizards.  Flatter and rounder than your common lizard, they do have a more toad-like body.  Almost.

There are 13 species of horned lizard in North America, with five of those being found exclusively in Mexico.  The following are found in Canada, U.S. and Mexico:

Texas horned lizard
  (Phrynosoma cornutum)
Coast horned lizard
  (Phrynosoma coronatum)
Pygmy horned lizard
  (Phrynosoma douglasii)
Short horned lizard
  (Phrynosoma hernadesii)
Flat tailed horned lizard
  (Phrynosoma mccallii)
Round tailed horned lizard
  (Phrynosoma modestum)
Desert horned lizard
  (Phrynosoma platyrhinos)
Regal horned lizard
  (Phrynosoma solare)

These five are found only in Mexico:
Giant horned lizard
  (Phrynosoma asio)
Short tailed horned lizard
  (Phrynosoma braconnieri)
Rock horned lizard
  (Phrynosoma ditmarsi)
Mexican horned lizard
  (Phyrnosoma obiculare)
Bull horned lizard
  (Phrynosoma taurus)

Flat tailed horned lizard

Of these, the two that are found in the Coachella Valley are the Desert horned lizard and the Flat tailed horned lizard.  Of the two, the desert is the most common, and is found across the desert floor.  It is found in the Sonoran, Mojave and Great Basin deserts of North America.  The flat-tailed horned lizard is rare in the Valley, this being the northern-most reach of its range.  More commonly found in the Imperial Valley, this lizard has been a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act. That status was withdrawn in 2011. It remains a Species of Concern.

Desert Horned Lizard

The Coast horned lizard range sometimes overlaps that of the desert horned lizard, but found mostly on coastal North America.  This species is also a Species of Concern. Many of the horned toads have restricted ranges and are highly specialized for eating ants.  Harvester ants are there main diet, and the invasion of non-natives ant species, particularly the Argentine ant, have severely impacted many of these lizards.