Post by glowtoad on Oct 16, 2020 22:03:16 GMT
Horny toads are a genus of lizard adapted to the desert that boasts a number of large horns on the backside of their skull. Horny toads are in the genus Phrynosoma – meaning 'toad-bodied' – a reference to the very short tails of horny toads. There are around 22 different species, found mostly throughout North and Central America.
Horny toads are typically solitary animals that spend their days wandering the desert looking for insects to eat. Horny toads often focus on ants, as anthills can provide a large source of food. Compared to other insects, ants contain lots of indigestible fiber. To compensate, horny toads have very large bellies that they can pack full of ants.
In fact, to catch ants, horny toads will often bury themselves in the sand and gravel near an anthill. When the ants start a line near the horny toad, it will gentle reach out and lick up each ant as it passes. Since the ants are picked up before they can release alarm signals, the next ant is none-the-wiser. Horny toads can eat large amounts of ants in this way.
Horny toads are not only famous for their odd shape, but also for their incredible defenses. The 'horns' on the head are actually extensions of the skull. This makes them a very formidable obstacle for most small mammals and birds. Not only can they be used to protect the neck, but they present a choking hazard to any animal trying to swallow a horny toad. The spines on the back and sides are not filled with bone, but are still very hard and sharp modified scales that provide another level of protection.
Around half of all horny toad species also have a very disturbing defense – the ability to squirt blood. The exact reason for this defense has not been determined, though it has been noted that dogs and cats show a high aversion to the blood. Scientists theorize that the blood contains noxious compounds from the ants a horny toad eats.
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Horny toads are typically solitary animals that spend their days wandering the desert looking for insects to eat. Horny toads often focus on ants, as anthills can provide a large source of food. Compared to other insects, ants contain lots of indigestible fiber. To compensate, horny toads have very large bellies that they can pack full of ants.
In fact, to catch ants, horny toads will often bury themselves in the sand and gravel near an anthill. When the ants start a line near the horny toad, it will gentle reach out and lick up each ant as it passes. Since the ants are picked up before they can release alarm signals, the next ant is none-the-wiser. Horny toads can eat large amounts of ants in this way.
Horny toads are not only famous for their odd shape, but also for their incredible defenses. The 'horns' on the head are actually extensions of the skull. This makes them a very formidable obstacle for most small mammals and birds. Not only can they be used to protect the neck, but they present a choking hazard to any animal trying to swallow a horny toad. The spines on the back and sides are not filled with bone, but are still very hard and sharp modified scales that provide another level of protection.
Around half of all horny toad species also have a very disturbing defense – the ability to squirt blood. The exact reason for this defense has not been determined, though it has been noted that dogs and cats show a high aversion to the blood. Scientists theorize that the blood contains noxious compounds from the ants a horny toad eats.
