[1] Originally described as a subspecies, Sceloporus torquatus mikeprestoni,[2] it was recognized as a species in a study published in 2021 based on an integrative analysis of molecular data, environmental niche modeling, and morphological characters.

[3] The trivial name, or specific epithet, mikeprestoni is a patronym honoring Dr. Michael J. Preston, Professor of English at the University of Colorado, in recognition of the invaluable support he provided Hobart M. Smith and Rozella B. Smith in preparation of their book series, Synopsis of the Herpetofauna of Mexico.

Temperate Madrean pine-oak woodlands characterize the higher elevations of Cerro Peña Nevada (>2200–3400 m), receiving more frequent rain and milder temperatures than the lower slopes which descend into arid Chihuahuan Desert valleys and scrublands (referred to as Meseta Central matorral by the World Wide Fund for Nature).

However, it is closely related to, and previously considered a subspecies of Sceloporus torquatus, and some information may be inferred from studies on reproduction of that species.

Sceloporus torquatus is viviparous, mating in the fall, with parturition taking place in rock crevices in late winter or spring.