Sunday, May 23, 2010

Horny Toads Part 3

So here is a bunch of photos of most of the horny toads (Phyrnosoma) I or someone I've been working with have found since I began working in the Uinta Basin. As you may know, horny toads are my favorite animal out there.
This is the first one I ever caught, just a baby.Didn't actually catch this one, but I thought it was the biggest one I'd ever seen.

Until I saw this guy.Thus begins the tradition of placing the horny toad on Dave's hat for a photo. Dave's head was for scale.
Another baby one...
... with Dave's head for scale.

Decent sized specimen. Dave's head for scale.
Dave's head for scale.
Another normal sized one.
Another pretty big one, but still no champ.
Another baby. Dave's hand for scale.
Ashley found a 'buy one get one free' bargain.

Sadly, I didn't get a photo of the one trying to crawl up L.J.'s pant leg. Also, I've never seen them squirt blood from their eyes. I guess I'm not enough of a threat.

Waffles in the toaster,

Dan

4 comments:

burkitos said...

So interesting! I like the innovative scale!

I am a mother! said...

I love those guys!

burkitos said...

They aren't really toads are they? Aren't they a type of lizard? Do the horns (poky things on their back)hurt? Hmm, what's with the blood squirting out the eye...for defense? Are you gonna tell me or do I have to look all this stuff up? Ü

Big Papi said...

They're lizards, not toads. The horns aren't very sharp. The blood squirting is for defense. I was thinking like octopus ink. My friend Jason has been squirted before.

-croll