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This species is known from two localities within Parque Nacional Natural Paramillo, in Antioquia Department, on the northern slope of the western Andes, in Colombia, at 1,500m asl.

This species is known only from ten specimens; however, there has been no recent survey work within its range.

Both of the known localities are within primary forest, but no other information is available on the species' habitat requirements or breeding habits.

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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.

• 8.1.2 Named species

Both known localities of the species are within Parque Nacional Natural Paramillo. Further research into the species' range, ecological requirements, and population status is needed, in particular to determine if it occurs outside its current known range. Given the likely threat of chytridiomycosis, disease management and captive-breeding programmes might be required.

• 3.2 Species recovery
• 3.4.1 Captive breeding/artificial propagation

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.

• Acosta-Galvis, A.R. 2000. Ranas, Salamandras y Caecilias (Tetrapoda: Amphibia) de Colombia. Biota Colombiana: 289-319.
• 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.
• Lötters, S. 1996. The Neotropical Toad Genus Atelopus. Checklist - Biology - Distribution. Vences, M. and Glaw, F. Verlags GbR, Köln, Germany.
• 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.
• Rivero, J.A. and Serna, M.A. 1993. A new species of Atelopus (Amphibia, Bufonidae) from Antioquia, Colombia. Brenesia: 15-20.
• Ruiz-Carranza, P.M., Ardila-Robayo, M.C. and Lynch, J.D. 1996. Lista actualizada de la fauna de Amphibia de Colombia. Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales 20(77): 365-415.