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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

When my grandson Parker was 11 years old, he called me from a coastal island with exciting news. Problem was I took the call outside a restaurant with people jabbering and at a spot where I had a ...