14. Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma)
The horned lizard, often called the “horny toad,” is a flat, spiky reptile with a round body, pointed horns on its head, and camouflage coloring that blends perfectly with desert sand and rocks across North America.
Its defense mechanism is the stuff of nightmares for predators and jaw-dropping for adults. When threatened, it can squirt foul, blood-tinged fluid from its eyes up to 9 feet away. The blood contains toxins from the ants it eats, making it taste terrible and irritating to attackers. It can also inflate its body and use its spikes for protection. Many readers who grew up catching lizards in the yard never knew this seemingly harmless “toad” has such a dramatic, bloody escape tactic straight out of a horror movie.
