Taxonomic notes: The northernmost population of this species is sometimes regarded as a separate species (Atelopus marinkellei).

This species occurs in the southern part of the Colombian Andes in Cauca and Huila Departments, with a separate northern population (Atelopus ebenoides marinkellei) at the Páramo de las Papas, in the Department of Boyacá, in the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia. Its altitudinal range is 2,500-4,700m asl.

The northern population had not been recorded since 1995, until its remarkable rediscovery in early May of 2006 in the highlands of Boyacá . The southern populations were last recorded in 1992, though there have not been any recent surveys.

It occurs on vegetation, mosses and in leaf-litter along streams in Andean forests and páramos. It has not been recorded from disturbed habitat. The tadpoles develop in streams.

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The major threat is likely to be chytridiomycosis, leading to a catastrophic population decline, as has occurred in many other montane species of Atelopus. Habitat loss caused by agricultural expansion (cattle ranching and the planting of illegal crops), as well as pollution from the fumigation of crops, and water source loss are all threats.

• 2.3.3 Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming
• 8.1.2 Named species
• 9.3.3 Herbicides and pesticides
• 11.5 Other impacts
• 2.1.2 Small-holder farming

It occurs in the Parque Nacional Natural Puracé. Survey work has recently confirmed the persistence of the northern population, but additional surveys are needed to ascertain the population status of the southern population. Given the threat of chytridiomycosis, successful conservation measures will probably need to include the maintenance of any surviving individuals in captivity. Research is also needed to confirm the taxonomic status of the northern populations of the species.

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

Listed as Critically Endangered because of a drastic population decline, estimated to be more than 80% over the last three generations, inferred from the apparent disappearance of most of the population, probably due to chytridiomycosis; and 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.

• Ardila-Robayo, M.C. and Acosta-Galvis, A. 2000. Anfibios III. In: Rangel (ed.), Colombia Diversidad biótica de la región de vida paramuna, pp. 902. Bogotá, Colombia.
• Cochran, D.M. and Goin, C.J. 1970. Frogs of Colombia. United States National Museum Bulletin, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.
• 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.
• 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.