Florida's Exotic Wildlife. Species detail.
First year: 1934
Extirpated year:
Established status: Populations
are confirmed breeding and apparently self-sustaining for 10 or
more consecutive years.
Estimated Florida range: 2
counties At least 10 years, 8 counties Not reported
breeding
Statewide trend: Unknown
status
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Photograph by Kevin M. Enge © 2003
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Threats to natives:
Species Account: This species is
native to the Great Plains and naturally occurs as far east as
northwestern Louisiana (Conant and Collins 1991). Multiple
introductions were made by pet dealers and purchasers in the
decades when this species was commonly sold in pet stores, despite
its diet being restricted to ants. The species was apparently able
to survive in Florida in open habitats with dry, sandy soils, such
as beaches, coastal strand, sandhills, scrub, and early
successional communities, such as fields. Horned lizards are
uncommon in the pet trade now, and the status of past populations
in Florida is unknown but apparently declining. This species is
typically less than 15 cm (6 in) long and is characterized by
spines, especially on the head, where the 2 center ones are
enlarged. It is reddish, tan, or buff on the back with 5 pairs of
light-edged, irregular, dark spots. It feeds almost exclusively on
ants. It often basks while lying motionless for long periods on
open ground, where it is extremely well camouflaged, but it can
move quickly when startled. It will also bury itself partially or
completely in the sand (Bartlett and Bartlett 1999).
Habitats: Coastal upland, Barren
land, Low density suburban development, areas peripheral to core
urban areas, and small towns, Agricultural habitat, Recently
disturbed, early successional community, Xeric Uplands
| County |
First Year |
Extirpated Year |
Breeding status |
Notes |
| DADE |
1934 |
|
Not reported breeding |
Successfully breeding on Fort George Island (Allen and Neill
1955, King and Krakauer 1966); population still extant in 1988 (K.
M. Enge, FFWCC, Quincy, personal observation) |
| DUVAL |
1941 |
|
At least 10 years |
Successfully breeding on Fort George Island (Allen and Neill
1955, King and Krakauer 1966); population still extant in 1988 (K.
M. Enge, FFWCC, Quincy, personal observation) |
| ESCAMBIA |
1940 |
|
At least 10 years |
Santa Rosa Island (Carr 1940, Jensen 1994) |
| INDIAN RIVER |
1953 |
|
Not reported breeding |
Vero Beach (Allen and Neill 1955) |
| LAKE |
1934 |
|
Not reported breeding |
Possibly established in Leesburg (Goff 1935) |
| MARION |
1952 |
|
Not reported breeding |
Belleview (Allen and Neill 1955) |
| ORANGE |
1940 |
|
Not reported breeding |
Two from orange grove in Winter Park (Carr 1940) |
| PALM BEACH |
1966 |
|
Not reported breeding |
West Palm Beach (King and Krakauer 1966) |
| POLK |
1955 |
|
Not reported breeding |
Rumored to be in Winter Haven (Allen and Neill 1955) |
| PUTNAM |
1935 |
|
Not reported breeding |
Palatka (Carr 1940) |
References
Allen, E. R., and W. T. Neill. 1955. Establishment
of the Texas horned lizard, Phrynosoma cornutum, in Florida. Copeia
1955:63-64.
Bartlett, R. D., and P. P. Bartlett. 1999. A field
guide to Florida reptiles and amphibians. Gulf Publishing Company,
Houston, Texas. 278pp.
Carr, A. F., Jr. 1940. A contribution to the
herpetology of Florida. University of Florida Publications,
Biological Sciences 3:1-118.
Conant, R., and J. T. Collins. 1991. A field guide
to amphibians and reptiles of eastern and central North America.
Third edition. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
450pp.
De Sola, C. R. 1934. Phrynosoma from Florida.
Copeia 1934:190.
Goff, C. C. 1935. An additional note on Phrynosoma
cornutum in Florida. Copeia 1935:45.
Jensen, J. B. 1994. Phrynosoma cornutum (Texas
horned lizard). Herpetological Review 25:165.
King, F. W., and T. Krakauer. 1966. The exotic
herpetofauna of southeast Florida. Quarterly Journal of the Florida
Academy of Sciences 29:144-154.
Links to more information
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