This species inhabits humid lowland and premontane forest, and is found in both primary and secondary forest, forest edge and scrubby areas (Panama Red List Assessment Workshop August 2019). It is nocturnal, arboreal and lives in bromeliads, leaf litter, Heliconia plants, and has also been found in banana plants (Panama Red List Assessment Workshop August 2019). It breeds by direct development and is not dependent upon water.

This species occurs along the southern Pacific slope of Costa Rica and adjacent western Panama, and on the Azuero Peninsula and Isla Coiba, Panama. It has recently been recorded from Meseta de Chorcha in Chiriquí and Alto Tólica in Comarca Ngöbe-Buglé in Panama, with the latter being the first record for that province (Hertz et al. 2013). New records also include Isla Boca Brava and Parque Nacional Cerro Hoya on the Azuero Peninsula (Panama Red List Assessment Workshop August 2019), and in Isla Chalapa (A. Romero pers. comm. August 2019), all in Panama. It occurs between 0–1,220 m asl.

Conservation Actions In-Place
This species occurs in Parque Nacional Coiba in Panama, which is well-protected, and Parque Nacional Cerro Hoya, where illegal activities are occurring. In Costa Rica, it occurs in Parque Nacionales Corcovado, Cerro La Cangreja, Manuel Antonio and Carara, and Reservas Forestales Golfo Dulce and Los Santos.

Conservation Needed
Improved management and enforcement of the boundaries of Parque Nacional Cerro Hoya is needed to prevent illegal deforestation and degradation from taking place (Panama Red List Assessment Workshop August 2019). Proactive, precautionary steps should be taken to detect the arrival of Bsal in Costa Rica and/or Panama and to establish a baseline by including the swabbing of salamanders encountered during routine amphibian monitoring activities in these countries (Panama and Costa Rica Red List Assessment Workshops 2019).

Research Needed
Further research on this species' distribution, population size and trends is recommended.