It is endemic to the highest parts of the Cerro de la Neblina tepui on the border of Brazil and Venezuela.

[1][2] The genus name is a combination of neblina, the Portuguese word for mist, and phryne, Greek for toad.

The species name honors Brazilian army general Sinclair James Mayer, who helped organize research expeditions to the Pantepui region.

Their persistence in the region supports the hypothesis of the tepuis serving as refugia for early Cenozoic taxa.

[1] Due to its very restricted range at the highest reaches of the Neblina massif, this species is thought to be at high risk from climate change and potential introduction of chytridomycosis, and it has thus been recommended it be classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.