The frog is endemic to the Western Ghats, India, and is only known from its type locality, Pandipath, in the Agasthyamalai Hills, Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala.

[3] Nyctibatrachus pulivijayani is part of a genus that evolved in India around 70–80 million years ago.

[5] The specific name pulivijayani honours Mr. Vijayan Kani, who supported Biju and his students during their field campaigns.

[1] Five adult males in the type series measure 13.3–14.9 mm (0.5–0.6 in) in snout–vent length; no females were collected.

Weakly developed dorso-lateral glandular folds are present and re separated by scattered granular projections.