This scansorial salamander inhabits humid montane forest and cloud forest, foraging in vegetation up to 1 m above the ground, and sometimes hiding in bromeliads during the day; it is unknown whether it can survive in degraded habitats. It breeds by direct development and is not dependent upon water.

This species is known from the humid lower montane zone on both slopes of the southern Cordillera de Talamanca of western Panama and eastern Costa Rica, at 1,500-2,660 m asl. In the previous assessment, there was uncertainty as to how far east it extends in Panama, since the specimen from near Volcán Barú was taxonomically questionable. It has now been confirmed from this locality with additional specimens (Hertz 2015). There are also new records from La Nevera, Comarca Ngobe-Bugle which extends its known distribution to the western slope of Cerro Santiago in Panama (Hertz 2015), and from the Caribbean slopes of the Cordillera de Talamanca (Arias 2017). It is unlikely to occur more widely than is currently known in Panama (M. Ponce pers. comm. August 2019). Its extent of occurrence (EOO) is 3,505 km², which represents five or fewer threat-defined locations.

Conservation Actions In-Place
This species occurs in Zona Protectora Las Tablas in Costa Rica, Parque Internacional La Amistad on the Costa Rica-Panama border, and Parque Nacional Volcán Barú in Panama.

Conservation Needed
Improved management and enforcement of the boundaries of Parque Nacional Volcán Barú is needed to prevent the encroachment of habitat, and to reduce the impact of the road and tourism development on this species (Panama Red List Assessment Workshop August 2019). Education efforts are needed for tourists visiting Parque Nacional Volcán Barú to raise awareness of the species' presence in the park and to reduce disturbance to its habitat; additionally, regulation of the number of tourists on the main trail would also be beneficial (Panama Red List Assessment Workshop August 2019). Habitat protection is required at La Nevera, especially considering the high levels of endemism (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
Additional surveys and monitoring is recommended in Las Tablas (E. Arias and G. Chaves pers. comm. September 2019). Further research is required to fully resolve the taxonomic status of the species (Hertz 2015).