Texas Food Chains

Ecological Terms Autotroph Heterotroph Decomposer Primary consumer Secondary consumer Tertiary Consumer

BobcatFelis rufus

Bobcats, named for their "bobbed" tails,

have ears that resemble their feline

cousin, the lynx.Photograph by Norbert

Rosing

Coyote Canis latransClever and adaptive, coyotes flourish over much of North America, in part because of their keen hunting and foraging skills. Photograph by George McCarthy

Gray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteusThey are active at night, sleeping during the day in dense vegetation or secluded rocky places. Nursing mothers and pups use a den— a hollow log, abandoned building, tangle of brush, or cracked boulder—for shelter. Photograph by David Hosking

Jackrabbit  Lepus californicusLong ears alert for possible predators, a black-tailed jackrabbit rests near a cactus in the Arizona desert. Photograph by Annie Griffiths Belt

Javelina Peccary Pecari tajacuThe name Javelina is Spanish for spear. A pig-like species, but not a true pig. Photograph by Gerrit Vyn

Mountain LionFelis concolorMountain lions do not like to share their territory and are constantly on the lookout for invaders.Photograph by Jim & Jamie Dutcher

OpossumDidelphia virginianaOpossums are excellent tree climbers and spend much of their time aloft.Photograph by Hope Ryden

Prairie Dog Cynomys ludovicianusPrairie dogs emerge from their burrows in daylight to forage and feed on grasses, roots, and seeds. Photograph by Raymond Gehman

Red-Tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensisThe most common hawk in North America, red-tails can often be seen atop utility poles and other lofty perches, on the lookout for potential prey. Photograph by Rich Reid

Short-Horned LizardPhrynosoma hernandesiShort-horned lizards have an array of defenses to dissuade would-be predators, including a spike-covered exterior and the ability in some species to shoot blood from their eyes.Photograph courtesy Gary M. Stolz/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake Crotalus atroxA venomous rattlesnake species found in the United States and Mexico. It is likely responsible for the majority of snakebite fatalities in northern Mexico and the second-greatest number in the USA. Image