A toad-like horned lizard

In Central America and in the south-west of this continent, as well as in some areas of Mexico, there is a mysterious, unusual and incredibly clever beauty called the horned lizard. So the iguana was nicknamed for good: there is a huge number of sharp spines on its body, and a pointed crown of them on its head.

It's a reptile that differs from its fellow humans at times. It also feeds on ants, has the ability to regenerate and has a unique ability to become part of the landscape. But there are some features, thanks to which the horned lizard could come out as if to a new level of development and evolution. But first things first.

The mystery of the name

It was mentioned above that due to the extensive arrangement of thorns 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). It's because her body is flat and round, and her legs are short. It is very like a toad. Phrynos translates as "toad", and soma means "body." The color of a horned lizard is as close as possible to the colors of the surrounding environment in which it lives. Most often it is the color of the earth or sand, well, or both colors interspersed.

But this is not all the secrets that horned lizard hides. The name bloody to it too quite will approach. All because she has one unique ability to scare off her opponents with her own blood. And she shoots her out of her eyes. Such a phenomenal ability can easily scare off terrestrial opponents of a horned lizard, but birds are not at all afraid of such a method of intimidation.

Strategic abilities, which are endowed with a toad-shaped reptile

Speaking of lizards, considering them as a whole, they have some similar features relating to protection from attack. For example, they are able to hide perfectly, thanks to color, and perfectly freeze, becoming a part of the environment. The horned lizard, like its other brethren, performs all these simple manipulations. However, it is endowed with other abilities that distinguish it from other types of iguanas, making it a strategist capable of constructive thinking.

So, the strategic abilities of a horned lizard:

• In addition to the fact that it freezes at the sight of danger, the lizard closely watches the rival. If the latter declasses and continues to go on the offensive, the reptile begins to move around the country in small dashes, periodically stopping and again falling into a stupor. This behavior can easily confuse the enemy, and he will retreat with nothing.
• If all these manipulations did not help, and the danger still threatens the iguana's life, the toad-shaped lizard is able to snuggle up to the ground, as if squashing its coin-like body. This way helps reptiles survive, because the enemy can not pick her off the ground.
• The last method of defense is spitting blood in an opponent. All ground iguana opponents immediately capitulate. Such a maneuver lizard uses extremely rarely, and not all individuals of this species are capable of it.

But how is it proper to call this unusual lizard?

One reptile, bearing different names, still remains by itself. Answering the question about the name of the horned lizard, it is possible to use such names as a toad or bloody name. Both options are correct.