FWP requests folks to be on the lookout for greater short-horned lizards this fall

From Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

As you are hitting the field this fall, be sure to take a break from scanning the horizon for game and look down at the ground once in a while.  Not only will this hopefully help you avoid stepping on a cactus or a rattlesnake, you might also see one of eastern Montana's rarely seen critters...the greater short-horned lizard; and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks would like to know about it.

The greater short-horned lizard, Phrynosoma hernandesi, or "horny toad" is a Species of Greatest Inventory Need in Montana due to insufficient data to determine their status. 

It was once considered the second most abundant reptile along the Missouri River in Montana in the late 19th Century, second to the western rattlesnake, but there isn't enough data to accurately estimate current populations or distributions.

According to Heather Harris, wildlife biologist in Region 6, "There have been structured surveys conducted in eastern Montana to try and determine status and distribution as well as proactively filling in data gaps; however, the elusive nature and cryptic coloration make them extremely difficult to locate." 

"This is where we can use outdoor recreationists' help," continued Harris, "because oftentimes people just accidentally come across one."

Harris and other biologists are seeking the help of folks out trekking around the countryside to provide incidental observations in addition to our structured survey efforts. 

"If you happened to observe one in anywhere in the state," says Harris, "please record the location, get GPS coordinates if possible, and note the date, number observed, and take a photograph of it if you can."

Observations can then be reported by email to Heather Harris in Region 6 at heharris@mt.gov, Brandi Skone in Region 7 at bskone@mt.gov, or a local FWP biologist.

A few things about the short-horned lizard:

Key ID:

• Adult greater short-horned lizards are diurnal and active during the warmer daylight hours.

• Coloration is cryptic with the soil (blends in) and can vary by locality.

• The broad, flattened body separates this lizard from the other three lizard species regularly documented in Montana, and the range overlaps only with the common sagebrush lizard, which is much more slender.

• The head has a "heart-shaped" appearance when viewed from above.

• They are usually easiest to spot when they move and catch a person's eye.

Habitat:

• greater short-horned lizards are found in the eastern half of Montana, but in scattered locations throughout their range.

• They inhabit ridge crests between coulees, and can be found in sparse, short grass and sagebrush with sun-baked soil. 

• They are also found in flats of relatively pebbly or stony soil with sparse grass and sagebrush cover.