Daralyn James

WLF 314
Essay 1
Phrynosoma hernandesi - Greater Short-horned Lizard
The greater short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi) is a lizard that is native to
Western North America, and to Idaho. A rather obvious form of defense these reptiles utilize is
the horns located on their body, specifically behind the head. But, this species are not just known
for having horns; they are able to squirt blood from their eyes as a method of defense. There are
other species of horned lizards that also use this defense mechanism.
The odd defense mechanism was once thought to have had a chemical deterrent involved
because scientists didnt believe the action was enough to scare off predators. Because the blood
mixes with mucous and tears in the harderian and lacrimal glands, Middendorf (2001) tested
systemic blood and squirted blood to see if there was a chemical difference involving hematocrit,
sodium, or potassium levels. The test showed no significant differences between the two samples
of blood, indicating that the squirted blood is systemic. Many of the horned lizards do have
different blood chemistry than other reptiles; their food source consists of venomous ants that
require detoxification (Middendorf 2001).
The greater short-horned lizard is capable of squirting blood due having a profound
amount of vascular tissue on their eyelids with blood sinuses (Winton 1914). The lizards eyes
and surrounding area swell when they prepare to squirt blood. The mechanism of squirting blood
involves a couple of specialized muscles near the jugular vein and under the eye orbitals (Cutter
1959). These muscles create cause high blood pressure and prevent blood from flowing back to
the heart (Eyes squirt blood: Horned lizard. (n.d.)).When the blood pressure reaches a high
enough level the sinus membranes burst and the blood shoots out toward the predator. The blood

can shoot up to four feet and can reoccur several times for a short period of time if its necessary
(Eyes squirt blood: Horned lizard. (n.d.)). The process of this blood squirting is called autohemorrhaging. The same process can occur when the lizard gets dirt or other foreign material in
its eye. The lizard does not fully tear the sinuses, so blood does not shoot out. Rather, the blood
acts as a lubricant for a transparent eyelid to sweep the debris to the corner of the eye where the
material will drop off (Eyes squirt blood: Horned lizard. (n.d.)).
The genus Phrynosoma is monophyletic and nearly all species exhibit the blood squirting
trait. There are only a couple of species that do not squirt blood but it is likely that it just has not
been witnessed (Sherbrooke 2001). Because this trait is seen throughout most of the genus, it is
possible that the blood squirting trait is derived from ancestors.
A second defensive mechanism used by the greater short-horned lizards is its horns.
There are two horns located anteriorly on the dorsal side of the lizard. If a predator tries to
swallow a horned lizard, the lizard will tuck its chin down to protrude its horns and will cause
discomfort or wound the predator.
The horns are strictly used for defense for all horned species and have no relation to
sexual selection (Bergmann 2012). The horns of females may be utilized as a grip for males
during the reproduction process. The males do not hold territories because they are not favored
for sexual dimorphism (Bergmann 2012).
Bergmann (2012) discusses allometry (size of animal vs. body part/organ) within the
horned lizards and their horns. Vertebrate development proceeds anterior to posterior and horns
are located anteriorly; this suggests negative allometry because the horns will develop before the
rest of the body. Negative allometry regarding weapons typically means they are not used for

sexual selection, while positive allometry suggests the weapons are sexual. The lizards horns are
defensive, not sexual, and therefore are negatively allometric (Bergmann 2012).
The greater short-horned lizards and their relatives ability to squirt blood from their eyes
are still not fully understood by scientists. It is uncertain why the blood squirts deter predators
and why the horns are not enough. The trait continues to be beneficial to the lizards since it
existed in its ancestors and is present today.

Literature Cited
Bergmann, P., & Berk, J. (2012). The Evolution of Positive Allometry of Weaponry in Horned
Lizards ( Phrynosoma ). Evolutionary Biology, 39(3), 311-323.
Cutter, W. (1959). An Instance of Blood-Squirting by Phrynosoma solare. Copeia, 1959(2), 176.
Eyes squirt blood: Horned lizard. (n.d.).Asknature.org. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
Middendorf, G., Sherbrooke, W., & Braun, E. (2001). Comparison of Blood Squirted from the
Circumorbital Sinus and Systemic Blood in a Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma cornutum. The
Southwestern Naturalist, 46(3), 384-387.
Sherbrooke, W., & Middendorf, G. (2001). Blood-Squirting Variability in Horned Lizards
(Phrynosoma).Copeia, 2001(4), 1114-1122.
Winton, W. (1914). AN EXAMINATION OF BLOOD-EJECTING HORNED
LIZARDS. Science (New York, N.Y.), 40(1039), 784-5.