Pacific Horned Lizard

Phrynosoma coronatum, (Blainville)

Colouration: Pale grayish or brown above, with a large, reddish-brown patch on each side of the nape; three, transverse bands of similar colour on the back, often bordered in the rear with white or yellow spots. Abdomen yellow, with dusky gray patches. Many examples have horns of a decidedly pinkish tinge.
Dimensions: The measurements given are of an adult specimen from San Diego County, California:
Distribution: Southern portion of the Pacific region. The ranges of the species is from immediately south of San Francisco, southward into the peninsula of Lower California and into Sonora, Mexico. It is particularly abundant in the desert regions of San Diego County, California.
Habits: A very hardy lizard in captivity. Of the various species of Phrynosoma observed by the writer, specimens of this reptile have lived the longest and adapted themselves most readily to captivity. They are very fond of mealworms, but will also take ants, grasshoppers and crickets.

The Pacific Horned Lizard is narrower of body than other species and the proportionately longer tail accentuates this character. The large and numerous spiny scales of the back and tail, impart by much the most bristling appearance of any of the North American species. There are two large, central head spines, and three successively larger spines on each temple. All of the horns are flat. There are from three to four rows of enlarged scales on each side of the central line of the chin. On each side of the body are two rows of fringe-like spiny scales, the upper series the larger. The scales of the breast and abdomen are smooth.

Some specimens have one, some two rows of spiny marginal scales on the tail. Upon this variation was based a species known technically as Phrynosoma blainvillei, (Gray). As other distinctive characters are lacking and as specimens of this alleged species show the same peculiar body outlines of this very distinct Western lizard, we must place the name in the category of a synonym, under the head of the present species.

Total Length. . . . . 6 1/8 inches.

Length of Tail. . . . . 2 1/2 inches.

Greatest Width of Body. . . . . 1 7/8 inches.

Length of Central Horns. . . . . 3/8 inches.

The tail is very broad at the base and tapers very gradually for the greater part of its length.