Range
Southern United States and northern Mexico from Arizona on the north west to Mississippi on the north east.
Habitats
Prefer arid or semiarid areas with little vegetation cover including deserts, prairies, dunes, and foothills. Can be found in loose sand or soil digging to hibernate, nest, or to keep warm. Females lay eggs in nests in soil or under rocks.
Identification
True to its name, exhibits "horns" on head made of bone. Either sandy, reddish, gray, or brownish in color with dark blotches that help it camouflage into surroundings. Throat possesses enlarged scales on both sides and spiked scales run down both sides of body. Average snout-vent length between 6.2-12.5 cm. When threatened, will puff up and push scales outwards; this makes it hard for predators to eat.
Learn more with Schechter Natural History's Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians