Desert Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma platyrhinos
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyPhrynosomatidae (Frinosomàtids)
- GenusPhrynosoma (Horned Lizards)
- SpeciesPhrynosoma platyrhinos (Desert Horned Lizard)
The desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos) is a species of phrynosomatid lizard native to western North America. They are often referred to as "horny toads", although they are not toads, but lizards. Wikipedia →
60–70% of wildlife watchers report a Desert Horned Lizard sighting in Death Valley National Park, based on 369 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Death Valley National Park
Coast Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma blainvillii
Common Side-blotched Lizard
Uta stansburiana
Zebra-tailed Lizard
Callisaurus draconoides
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus uniformis
Sagebrush Lizard
Sceloporus graciosus
Western Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis
Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard
Uma scoparia
Ornate Tree Lizard
Urosaurus ornatus
Desert Spiny Lizard
Sceloporus magister
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Desert Horned Lizard in Death Valley National Park?
About 65% of wildlife watchers report a Desert Horned Lizard sighting in Death Valley National Park, based on 369 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Desert Horned Lizard in Death Valley National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Desert Horned Lizard in Death Valley National Park in our monthly data.