Horns aren’t just for rhinos and cattle. A fair number of snake and lizard species have heads adorned with spiky, scaly accessories. But how the reptiles snag food may determine whether having horns is an asset or a liability.
The overwhelming majority of horned lizard and snake species lie in wait and ambush their prey rather than chase it down, researchers report November 22 in Biology Letters. Horns and other protuberances potentially provide camouflage to largely static animals but could be costly to more active reptiles, possibly revealing the bearer’s presence to prey and predators alike, the scientists say.
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