This species inhabits rocky, gravelly streams. Adults are usually found in water under rocks, and juveniles and larvae under rocks in shallow water or in wet gravel or the rock rubble of seepages. Egg clutches were reported in a chamber in mud in seepage areas at depths of about 0.5 m near a permanent water table (Trauth 1988). The larval period lasts about one year. It is unclear as to whether or not it is tolerant of habitat disturbance.

This species can be found in the Ouachita Mountains in southeastern Oklahoma and west-central Arkansas, United States of America (Means 1999); it occurs at elevations between 120 and 790 m asl (Petranka 1998). In Oklahoma, 19 sites were documented from 1993–1995 (NatureServe 2020). Karlin et al. (1993) documented 49 collection sites from 1977–1984, including 11 locations in Oklahoma and 38 locations in Arkansas. A. Karlin documented two additional localities near Little Rock in the Arkansas River, Arkansas (NatureServe 2020).

Conservation Actions In-Place
Most of this species' range occurs on public lands, including the Ouachita National Forest, the Ozark National Forest, Hot Springs National Park, and several state parks in both Arkansas and Oklahoma (Green et al. 2014).

Conservation Needed
Continued and strengthened management of protected area(s) where this species occurs, and expanded protection of suitable elsewhere in its range is recommended. Additionally, maintenance of wooded buffers along small streams is needed (Petranka 1998).

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