The January 31 session of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology’s 2019 Speaker Series is a presentation by Dr. Larry Powell from the University of Calgary, entitled, “Phrynosoma brevirostris, the Great Plains Short-horned Lizard, in Canada.”
P. brevirostris is of considerable scientific interest, as it is one of the few lizards that displays some ability to deal with unseasonably cold weather and harsh winters. It is a rare species in Canada, and can be found in coulee and canyon edges, and exposed Bearpaw shales in Southeastern Alberta and Southwestern Saskatchewan.
Suitable hibernation sites require adequate snow cover, as hibernating lizards do not bury themselves at great depths. Their annual activity is between early April to the end of October and their diet generally consists of ants, grasshoppers, and beetles. Great Plains Short-horned lizards rely principally upon camouflage for defence and are preyed upon by snakes, hawks, and small predatory mammals in their habitat.
Dr. Powell will discuss current scientific research on Phrynosoma brevirostris and will talk about what the species needs to survive in Canada.
The Royal Tyrrell Museum’s Speaker Series talks are free and open to the public. The series is held every Thursday until April 25 at 11:00 a.m. in the Museum auditorium. Speaker Series talks are also available on the Museum’s YouTube channel at: youtube.com/c/RoyalTyrrellMuseumofPalaeontology.
