It is endemic to West Papua, Indonesia, and is only known with certainty from its type locality, Digul River.

[2] As the species is only known from one specimen from its vaguely stated type locality, its ecology is essentially unknown, although it is presumed to be a rainforest inhabitant.

[2] It is known as lk [lɨk] in the Kalam language of Papua New Guinea, a name that is also sometimes applied to immature Cophixalus parkeri, which has overlapping morphology and habitats with Choerophryne variegata.

[4] Cophixalus shellyi, Choerophryne darlingtoni, and Oxydactyla brevicrus also tend to be identified by Kalam speakers as lk if calling from low vegetation, but as gwnm (usually applied to Cophixalus riparius and Xenorhina rostrata) if found in daytime hiding spots.

[4] The holotype is an adult female with half-developed ova, measuring 17.4 mm (0.69 in) in snout–urostyle length.