This species, which is not included on the Red List, is mainly a ground-dweller in lowland forests at around 150 m a.s.l.. It has been discovered in southern tributaries of the Amazon River south of Iquitos in Departamento Loreto in Peru; in particular in the Reserva Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo and up to Río Tarapa. It possibly also inhabits areas southwards to the Brazilian border. Some extremely similar forms are known from the Río Pachitea Valley, Departamento Huánuco in Peru, and from the Colombian Trapezoid in Departamento Amazonas.
The frogs reach up to 16.2 mm in length, and the males and females are somewhat difficult to distinguish. The back and flanks are black, contrasting with an orange dorsolateral line, which extends from the tip of the snout to above the thigh, usually becoming thinner and more yellowish posteriorly. A yellowish to creamy white supralabial stripe extends onto the upper arm and continues, with or without interruption, as a ventrolateral stripe from the armpit region. There is also an orange-colored median line, commonly beginning at the level of the anterior margins of the eyes and that can be in contact with one of the dorsolateral lines in the area in front of the eye or at the tip of the snout. It often becomes thinner and paler posteriorly and ends in the sacral region. The limbs are blue, marked with roundish black dots and spots. The yellow throat often has a black spot below each eye and usually another one in the posterior gular region.
The frogs feed on preferably small prey, such as aphids, small and large fruit flies, springtails, small crickets, white woodlice, firebrats, caterpillars of the flourmoth, and similar. This species was known among terrarium keepers even before its formal description but was often confused with R. duellmani.