Contrary to appearance, reflex bleeding is a voluntary defense rather than a lethal injury. The Texas horned lizard can shoot, on average, 2% of their body mass in blood. These lizards' diets play a ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. In the arid plains and rocky deserts of North America, a ...

When it comes to creative survival tactics in the animal kingdom, few creatures can compete with a small, spiky reptile that weaponizes its own blood. The greater short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma ...

Why they're awesome: Greater short-horned lizards have a squat, flat shape and short snouts, which makes them look more like amphibians than reptiles — hence the nickname "horny toads." But these ...

When you think of "gory" animals, creatures like great white sharks, tigers, and vampire bats might come to mind. But the most gruesome defense mechanism of any animal belongs to something much ...

Jay Stebbins took this photo of a young Coast Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii) in the Valley. This one was only about ...

In the animal kingdom, surviving often means adapting. Animals must, over time, adapt not only to climate changes, habitat alterations, and changes in food sources, but also to how they protect ...