noun

• An American lizard that somewhat resembles a toad, with spiny skin and large spines on the head, typically occurring in dry open country.

  Also called horned toad

  Genus Phrynosoma, family Iguanidae: several species, in particular the Texas horned lizard (P. cornutum) and the regal horned lizard (P. solare)

  ‘Sea turtles, grizzly bears, piping plovers, flat-tailed horned lizards, manatees and pygmy owls are among the wildlife whose survival has already become more tentative on Norton's watch.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘By studying the horned lizards, scientists hope to better understand the complexity of the lizards' habitat, halt their steady decline, and find ways for man and reptile to coexist peacefully.’
  • ‘In coastal regions of California, the ant is contributing to a sharp decline in the population of coastal horned lizards.’
  • ‘For example, the zebra-tailed lizard typically runs about twice as fast as the horned lizard, despite both species being of similar size.’
  • ‘The true horned lizard is a reptile not an amphibian.’