It is native to South America, where it occurs in the Paraguaçu River basin in the state of Bahia in Brazil.

The areas that the species inhabits are often distinguished by the presence of a rocky substrate, dark-colored water, and moderate to fast current.

It occurs at elevations ranging from 143 to 350 m (469 to 1148 ft) above sea level.

[2] H. jaguar reaches 17.6 cm (6.9 inches) SL.

[2] It was described in 2013 by Angela M. Zanata, Byanca Sardeiro, and Cláudio H. Zawadzki on the basis of its distinctive coloration and morphology.