It is endemic to Serra de Maranguape, just west of Fortaleza, in Ceará state, northeastern Brazil.

The snout is truncate in dorsal view and pointed in profile, slightly projecting beyond the mouth.

[2] Egg clutches have been found in bromeliad leaf axils 0.5–4.4 m (2–14 ft) above the ground.

[5] Adelophryne maranguapensis occurs in the Atlantic Forest of Serra de Maranguape at elevations of 800–920 m (2,620–3,020 ft) above sea level.

It is threatened by habitat loss caused by logging, agriculture, and human settlement,[1] and by collection of bromeliads for sale.