The Southern Emerald-Toucanet is distributed in South America from western Venezuela and Colombia to Peru and northern Bolivia. It is found in forest and forest edges at between 1,600 and 3,000 metres. For many authorities it used to be lumped with Northern Emerald-Toucanet A. prasinus under the English name Emerald Toucanet but this has been split by Clements and eBird. Some authorities make a further split of the more southern populations.

There are 7 sub-species of which two are shown here. Photo 1 shows A. a. lautus from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. This has a mainly black bill with a yellow culmen. Photos 2 to 4 show the nominate sub-species A. a. albivitta with more yellow on the upper mandible and a dull brown patch at the base of the lower mandible. It also has a much whiter throat.

The main vocalisation is a series of barking or honking notes.