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This species is found on the lower montane and montane slopes of the southern Cordillera de Talamanca-Baru of eastern Costa Rica and western Panama. Its altitudinal range is 1,920-3,444m asl.

It inhabits humid montane forest, and seems to spend the day under rocks, while at night it is found on mossy trunks and limbs of trees. It survives in degraded habitats. Breeding is by direct development and the species is not dependent upon water.

Although known to be common, there have been no records of this species for over ten years, although there has been a lack of survey work.

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Although it is somewhat adaptable, severe habitat loss due to smallholder agricultural activities, and probably also fire, is a threat.

• 2.3.2 Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming
• 2.1.2 Small-holder farming
• 7.1.3 Trend Unknown/Unrecorded

It occurs in two protected areas: Parque Nacional Volcán Barú in Panama, and Parque Internacional La Amistad in Panama and Costa Rica. Survey work is needed to determine the current population status of this species in the wild.

Listed as Endangered because its Extent of Occurrence is less than 5,000 km2, all individuals are in fewer than five locations, and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat in Costa Rica and Panama.

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• Hanken, J. and Wake, D.B. 1982. Genetic differentiation among plethodontid salamanders (genus Bolitoglossa) in Central and South America: implications for the South American invasion. Herpetologica: 272-287.
• Ibáñez, R., Solís, F., Jaramillo, C. and Rand, S. 2000. An overwiew of the herpetology of Panama. In: J.D. Johnson, R.G. Webb and O.A. Flores-Villela (eds), Mesoamerican Herpetology: Systematics, Zoogeography and Conservation, pp. 159-170. The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas.
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• Tanner, W.W. and Brame, A.H. 1961. Description of a new species of salamander from Panama. Great Basin Naturalist: 23-26.
• Wake, D.B. 1987. Adaptive radiation of salamanders in Middle American cloud forests. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 74: 242-264.
• Wake, D.B., Brame, A.H. and Duellman, W.E. 1973. New species of salamanders, genus Bolitoglossa, from Panama. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County - Contributions in Science: 1-19.
• Young, B., Sedaghatkish, G., Roca, E. and Fuenmayor, Q. 1999. El Estatus de la Conservación de la Herpetofauna de Panamá: Resumen del Primer Taller Internacional sobre la Herpetofauna de Panamá. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Virginia.