Mexican Plateau horned lizard

The subspecific name, cortezii, is in honor of Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. ==Distribution==

P. orbiculare is found only in the high plateau country of central Mexico. Specifically, it is found in the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Durango, Morelos, Nuevo León, Puebla, and Veracruz. ==Subspecies==

Five subspecies of P. orbiculare are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. • Phrynosoma orbiculare bradti • Phrynosoma orbiculare cortezii • Phrynosoma orbiculare dugesii • Phrynosoma orbiculare orbiculare • Phrynosoma orbiculare orientale Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Phrynosoma. ==Description==

P. orbiculare has a characteristic single row of lateral abdominal fringe scales. This "horned toad" also has two short occipital horns. ==Habitat==

P. orbiculare occurs in a wide range of primary habitats (dry scrubland, pine-oak forest, oak forest, juniper forest) and secondary habitats (agricultural land, and agave and Opuntia fields). ==Reproduction==

P. orbicularis is viviparous. == Gallery ==

File:Mountain Horned Lizard, La Mesa de la Tableta imported from iNaturalist photo 303746737.jpg|Showing size, at Sinaloa File:Phrynosoma orbiculare 306114722.jpg|Dorsal view, at Puebla File:Mountain Horned Lizard, Pachuca, hidalgo imported from iNaturalist photo 2145833.jpg|Showing underside, at Hidalgo File:Phrynosoma orbiculare 287441772.jpg|Young juveniles, at Sinaloa File:Phrynosoma orbiculare 1.jpg|Showing blood from autohaemorrhaging, at Veracruz ==References==