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This species is only known to occur in the Laguna de Guitara, Parque Nacional Natural Sumapaz, Meta Department, Colombia, at 3,400m asl.

It is rare, being recorded only from two expeditions conducted in 1975 and 1990. There has been no subsequent survey work for this species.

It lives and reproduces in streams in páramo habitats.

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The most serious risk to this species is chytridiomycosis, which has had a devastating impact on other high-altitude species of Atelopus. Its habitat is threatened by fires caused by cattle ranchers.

• 7.1.3 Trend Unknown/Unrecorded
• 8.1.2 Named species
• 2.3.2 Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming
• 2.1.2 Small-holder farming

This species occurs in the Parque Nacional Natural Sumapaz. Further work is required to determine the population status of this species; given the threat of chytridiomycosis, a captive-breeding programme might need to be established for this species.

• 3.4.1 Captive breeding/artificial propagation
• 1.2 Resource & habitat protection

Listed as Critically Endangered because of a projected population decline, estimated to be more than 80% over the next ten years, inferred from declines in other high altitude Atelopus species in the same region, probably due to chytridiomycosis.

• La Marca, E., Lips, K.R., Lötters, S., Puschendorf, R., Ibáñez, R., Rueda-Almonacid, J.V., Schulte, R., Marty, C., Castro, F., Manzanilla-Puppo, J., Garcia-Perez, J.E., Toral, E., Bolaños, F., Chaves, G., Pounds, J.A. and Young, B. 2005. Catastrophic population declines and extinctions in Neotropical harlequin frogs (Bufonidae: Atelopus). Biotropica: 190-201.
• Osorno Muñoz, M., Ardila-Robayo, M.C. and Ruiz-Carranza, P.M. 2001. Tres nuevas especie de Atelopus A. M. C. Dumeril & Bibron, 1841 (Aphibia: Bufonidae) de las partes altas de la Cordillera Oriental Colombiana. Caldasia: 509-522.
• Osorno Muñoz, M., Ardila-Robayo, M.C. and Ruiz-Carranza, P.M. 2001. Una nueva especie de Atelopus A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron 1841 (Amphibia: Anura: Bufonidae) de la Cordillera Oriental de Colombia. Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales: 133-139.
• Pounds, J.A., Bustamante, M.R., Coloma, L.A., Consuegra, J.A., Fogden, M.P.L., Foster, P.N., La Marca, E., Masters, K.L., Merino-Viteri, A., Puschendorf, R., Ron, S.R., Sánchez-Azofeifa, G.A., Still, C.J. and Young, B.E. 2006. Widespread amphibian extinctions from epidemic disease driven by global warming. Nature 439: 161-167.