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Phrynosoma platyrhinos GIRARD, 1852

IUCN Red List - Phrynosoma platyrhinos - Least Concern, LC
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Higher TaxaPhrynosomatidae, Phrynosomatinae, Phrynosomatini; Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Desert Horned Lizard
G: Wüsten-Krötenechse
calidiarum: Southern Desert Horned Lizard
platyrhinos: Northern Desert Horned Lizard
goodei: Sonoran Horned Lizard
S: Camaleón del Desierto 
SynonymPhrynosoma platyrhinos GIRARD in BAIRD & GIRARD 1852: 69
Doliosaurus platyrhinos GIRARD 1858: 443
Phrynosoma platyrhinos — GENTRY 1885: 147
Phrynosoma platyrhinus — BOULENGER 1885: 247
Phrynosoma platyrhinos — STEJNEGER 1893: 190
Anota calidiarum COPE 1896: 833
Anota platyrhina — COPE 1896: 333
Anota calidiarum — COPE 1900
Anota platyrhina — COPE 1900: 443
Phrynosoma platyrhinos — BURT 1933
Phrynosoma platyrhinos — SMITH & TAYLOR 1950: 101
Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum — REEVE 1952: 856
Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos — ETHERIDGE 1964
Phrynosoma platyrhinos — STEBBINS 1985: 140
Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum — PIANKA 1991
Phrynosoma platyrhinos — LINER 1994
Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum — BRUEKERS & PEEK 2004
Phrynosoma (D.) platyrhinos calidiarum — CROTHER et al. 2012
Phrynosoma (Doliosaurus) platyrhinos — CROTHER et al. 2012
Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos — KÖHLER 2021
Phrynosoma platyrhinos — HEIMES 2022 
DistributionUSA (E Oregon, S Idaho, Nevada, E Utah, SW California, W Arizona), Mexico (Baja California Norte)

Type locality: Great Salt Lake, Utah.  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: USNM 189 ? (fide SMITH & TAYLOR 1950)
Holotype: USNM 18444, female [calidiarum] 
DiagnosisAdditional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (1708 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentSynonymy partly after SMITH & TAYLOR 1950.

Subspecies: The subspecies of P. platyrhinos are questioned by Pianka (1991). MULCAHY et al. 2006 elevated Phrynosoma platyrhinos goodei to full species status based on mtDNA sequences. MULCAHY et al. 2006 also presented evidence for goodei x mcalli hybrids. KÖHLER 2021 synonymized Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum with the nominate subspecies, and moved goodei (back) to platyrhinos.

Group: Belongs to the Doliosaurus clade fide LEACHE & MCGUIRE 2006.

Distribution: see map in Mulcahy et al. 2006: 1809 (Fig. 3). Not in Sonora fide Lemos-Espinal et al. 2019.

Genome: KOOCHEKIAN et al. 2022.

Diet: a large percentage of the diet of this species (50-80%) consists of ants (Lucas et al. 2023). 
EtymologyThe name platyrhinos is a combination from the Greek "platy” (broad, or flat) and "rhino” (nose). 
References
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  • Baur, B. 1973. Pflege und Zucht der Wüstenkrötenechse Phrynosoma platyrhinos. Salamandra 9 (3-4): 145-159 - get paper here
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