[2] The species, also known commonly as the Chihuahua Desert horned lizard,[5] is endemic to Mexico.

The specific epithet, orbiculare, comes from the Latin adjective orbis, meaning "circular".

[4] P. orbiculare has a characteristic single row of lateral abdominal fringe scales.

Specifically, it is found in the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Durango, Morelos, Nuevo León, Puebla, and Veracruz.

[2] Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Phrynosoma.