Texas Horned Lizard Is The Official State Reptile of Texas. Texas adopted the Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) the official state reptile in 1993. Unlike other horned lizards, the Texas horned lizard has a single pair of horns growing out of the back of its head, rather than a cluster or crown of horns. State Reptile of Texas body is covered with irregular, spiky scales, including four ridges of scales on its back and two rows of pointed scales on each side. These spikes stand out more when the lizard puffs its body up, a defense mechanism that makes a horned lizard both look more threatening and more difficult to swallow. The Texas State Reptile Texas horned lizard is usually brownish with dark mottling and has a long white or light-colored stripe running from its head all the way down its back. This coloration helps the lizard to blend in with its surroundings, masking it from the predators.
HABITAT
Dry and semi-dry areas with thin vegetation.
Range: Parts of Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado south through Texas and Arizona into Mexico. Scattered populations in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and other southern states, mostly in coastal areas.
Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC). Though numbers of Texas State Reptile horned lizards have decreased dramatically in some areas, they still have a large contiguous range.
BEHAVIOR
The National Reptile of Texas horned lizard lives in hot, dry areas and sits on the ground to bask, though it will retreat to the shade in the hottest part of the day. It burrows into the ground to sleep each night, and in autumn, it digs into the soft sand to hibernate. When it emerges in spring, it basks in the sun to bring its body temperature up and then forages for food, usually ants.