This kangaroo rat occurs in arid and semi-arid parts of Mexico. Its range forms a narrow belt from southeastern Durango toward southern Puebla and northern Oaxaca.
The 2012 species account describes the Mexican Plateau population as having pale dorsal fur, a total length of 252–302 mm, and four toes on the hind feet. The 2018 paper also contrasts this D. ornatus population with the darker D. phillipsii from the Valley of Mexico.
The paper describes D. ornatus and D. phillipsii together as rodents adapted to arid and semi-arid environments. The range of D. ornatus follows that kind of climate belt.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.