It is found in northwestern Venezuela and northeastern Colombia (Norte de Santander and La Guajira Departments), mainly in the Maracaibo Basin.

[1][2][3][4] There is an introduced (and expanding) population in the Lake Valencia Basin in northern Venezuela.

The head is narrow in the dorsal view, and the snout is pointed; the eyes are large.

[4] The female carries the eggs on her back, from where the hatching tadpoles emerge into water where the development continues.

On the contrary, the potential expansion of this species into the Orinoco Basin is seen as a threat.