Phrynosoma orbiculare
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The Mexican Plateau horned lizard (Phrynosoma orbiculare) is a species of horned lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species, also known commonly as the Chihuahua Desert horned lizard, is endemic to Mexico. There are five recognized subspecies. The specific epithet, orbiculare, comes from the Latin adjective orbis, meaning "circular".
The subspecific name, cortezii, is in honor of Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. The subspecific name, dugesii, is in honor of French-born Mexican naturalist Alfredo Dugès, who is considered the "father" of Mexican herpetology.
P. orbiculare is found only in the high plateau country of central Mexico. Specifically, it is found in the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Durango, Morelos, Nuevo León, Puebla, and Veracruz. Five subspecies of P. orbiculare are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.
Phrynosoma orbiculare bradti Horowitz, 1955 Phrynosoma orbiculare cortezii (A.H.A. Duméril & Bocourt, 1870) Phrynosoma orbiculare dugesii (A.H.A. Duméril & Bocourt, 1870) Phrynosoma orbiculare orbiculare (Linnaeus, 1758)
Phrynosoma orbiculare orientale Horowitz, 1955 Nota bene: A trinomial... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toluca | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Mountain Horned Lizard sighting in Mexico City on a given day, based on 200 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 6th most-seen of the 37 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April and October
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Mountain Horned Lizard in Mexico City on a given day, against under 5% in January to March, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Mountain Horned Lizard sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Mountain Horned Lizard sightings, Mexico City ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Toluca (México, about 30%).
Same family: Phrynosomatidae
The closest relatives of the Mountain Horned Lizard that you can see in Mexico City (family Phrynosomatidae, Phrynosomatid Lizards) are Graphic Spiny Lizard (about 30%), Crevice Swift (about 20%) and Eastern Spiny Lizard (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Mountain Horned Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Mexico City (200 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
