Many Texans call it a "horny toad," but the Texas horned lizard is not a toad at all. It is a lizard, and it is the official state reptile of Texas.

The horned lizard has a wide, flat body covered with spiny scales. Large horns stick out from the back of its head. Its brown, spotted colors help it blend in with dirt and dry grass, so when it stays still, it can be very hard to see.

Its main food is the harvester ant, a large red ant that builds its nests in open, sandy, or rocky ground. A single lizard can eat a large number of these ants in one day.

Hiding is the lizard's first defense, but it has others. It can puff up its body so that it looks bigger and is harder to swallow. If a coyote or a dog attacks, the lizard can do something surprising: it squirts a stream of blood from the corners of its eyes. The blood has a taste these animals dislike, so they often drop the lizard and leave it alone.

Texas horned lizards were once common across much of the state, but today they have disappeared from many areas, especially in the eastern half of Texas. Scientists believe several causes worked together. Land where the lizards lived was turned into roads, houses, and farms. Pesticides and invasive fire ants reduced the number of harvester ants the lizards depend on for food. Because of this decline, the Texas horned lizard is now a protected species in Texas, and it is against the law to collect one or keep one as a pet.