This frog species, whos synonym is also R. tolimense and is classified as Endangered on the Red List, is believed to live only on the eastern flanks of the Cordillera Central in Department of Tolima, Colombia. There, specimen were collected at an elevation of about 1,852 m above sea level. These frogs inhabit secondary forests which are dominated by trees with a maximum height of 4 to 6 meters and covered with diverse bromeliads. Humidity in these areas is maintained by the constant cloud cover and frequent rainfall. The frogs are terrestrial, living on the forest floor which is covered with leaf litter, fallen tree branches and trunks.
R. tolimensis reaches the size of 17 – 19 mm in length. The frog's head is yellowish-orange, slowly turning into a deep red on the back. Individual black spots can be observed. The front limbs are yellowish-orange, the hind limbs dark brown. The ventral side is usually brown with many irregular bluish-white dots.
Males can often be heard calling throughout the day from small holes within the root systems of trees, hidden beneath a layer of leaf litter. After breeding, the eggs are deposited (usually in clutches of three). A male nurse frog then carries one larva at a time to bromeliads filled with water.
