When it comes to creative survival tactics in the animal kingdom, few creatures can compete with a small, spiky reptile that weaponizes its own blood. The greater short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. In the arid plains and rocky deserts of North America, a ...

Contrary to appearance, reflex bleeding is a voluntary defense rather than a lethal injury. The Texas horned lizard can shoot, on average, 2% of their body mass in blood. These lizards’ diets play a ...

Why they're awesome: Greater short-horned lizards have a squat, flat shape and short snouts, which makes them look more like amphibians than reptiles — hence the nickname "horny toads." But these ...

The giant horned lizard may weigh just 3 ounces — but it strikes twice as fast as a rattlesnake. When threatened, it builds pressure in its eye sockets and shoots toxic blood nearly six feet at ...

Out in the dry scrublands of the American West, a squat, spine-covered reptile spends its days nearly invisible against the sand, dust and stone. The greater short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi ...

When you think of “gory” animals, creatures like great white sharks, tigers, and vampire bats might come to mind. But the most gruesome defense mechanism of any animal belongs to something much ...

Across deserts, ocean floors, and forest undergrowth, a handful of animals have evolved defenses so extreme they strain belief. Bombardier beetles detonate chemical explosions inside their own bodies.

In the animal kingdom, surviving often means adapting. Animals must, over time, adapt not only to climate changes, habitat alterations, and changes in food sources, but also to how they protect ...