This species occurs in low vegetation of humid lowland forest, and does not occur in disturbed habitats. Individuals have been found in leaf litter and inside low palm axils, on leaves, on tree trunks and in bromeliads (Rivera-Correa and Gutiérrez-Cárdenas 2006, Panama Red List Assessment Workshop August 2019). It breeds by direct development and is not dependent upon water.

This species is found from the Río Arquia area in Antioquia Department in the Chocó region of Colombia, south to Quibdo in Chocó Department. It has also been recorded from Alto Baudo (G. Medina-Rangel pers. comm. June 2018) and near the Coquí River in Chocó Department (Rivera-Correa and Gutiérrez-Cárdenas 2006), and Reserva Natural Biotopo Selva Húmeda (Mueses-Cisneros et al. 2007, Mueses-Cisneros and Moreno-Quintero 2012) and El Palmichal, Francisco Pizarro Municipality (G. Medina-Rangel pers. comm. June 2018) in Nariño Department, southwestern Colombia. In Panama, specimens from the Darién and Comarca Guna Yala (San Blas) regions have been allocated to this species' taxonomic concept. It occurs between 0-858 m asl. It is presumably found in intervening areas between the mapped localities.

Conservation Actions In-Place
This species occurs in Parque Nacional Darién and Área Silvestre Protegida Corregimiento de Narganá in Panama. Its is not known if it occurs in any protected areas in Colombia.

Conservation Needed
Proactive, precautionary steps should be taken to detect the arrival of Bsal in Colombia and/or Panama and to establish a baseline by including the swabbing of salamanders encountered during routine amphibian monitoring activities in these countries (Panama Red List Assessment Workshop 2019).

Research Needed
Further surveys are needed in the intervening areas and additional research is needed to clarify the taxonomy of the species.