Phrynosomatidae

Phrynosomatidae is a family of lizards found from Panama north to southern Canada, comprising nine genera that include spiny lizards, horned lizards, earless lizards, zebra-tailed lizards, fringe-toed lizards and side-blotched lizards. Many species live in hot sandy deserts, though others favor rocky terrain, forest edges, or, in the case of the short-horned lizard, prairie and sagebrush. Both egg-laying and live-bearing species occur in the family, with live-bearing more common at higher elevations, and its fossil record reaches back to the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia.