It is endemic to the volcanic tablelands of Neuquén Province, western Argentina.

[2] Its natural habitats are permanent lagoons surrounded by steppe and/or semidesert.

[1] The population in the Laguna Blanca (in the Laguna Blanca National Park), which used to be the main subpopulation, has been extirpated by introduced by fish (perch and salmonids).

However, other subpopulations, located within the buffer zone of the Laguna Blanca National Park, occur in isolated ponds and mostly appear to be stable.

However, eutrophication is a problem in some ponds, and introductions of predatory fish pose a risk to all remaining subpopulations.