---
title: "Greater Short-horned Lizard"
description: "Phrynosoma hernandesi — Reptiles. The greater short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi), also commonly known as the mountain short-horned lizard or Hernández's short-horned lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/greater-short-horned-lizard
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Greater Short-horned Lizard

> Phrynosoma hernandesi — Reptiles. The greater short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi), also commonly known as the mountain short-horned lizard or Hernández's short-horned lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae.

- Scientific name: *Phrynosoma hernandesi*
- Category: `reptiles` (Reptiles)
- Habitats: `desert` (Desert)
- iNaturalist observations: 12582
- Wikidata: [Q2218279](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2218279)
- iNaturalist taxon: [36315](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/36315)

## Names

- en: Greater Short-horned Lizard
- de: Berg-Kurzhornkrötenechse
- es: Camaleón de montaña de cuernos cortos
- fr: Grand iguane à petites cornes

## Countries with the most observations

US (11467), CA (472), MX (137)

## Summary

The greater short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi), also commonly known as the mountain short-horned lizard or Hernández's short-horned lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is endemic to western North America. Like other horned lizards, it is often called a "horned toad" or "horny toad", but it is not a toad at all. It is a reptile, not an amphibian. It is one of five native species of lizards in Canada.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_short-horned_lizard

## Photo

![Greater Short-horned Lizard](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/greater-short-horned-lizard/medium.jpg)

Photo: Brian Dickerson · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57772275

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/greater-short-horned-lizard?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).