Adult: Species description based on Duellman (2001) and Savage (2002). A small yellow treefrog--males to 25 mm, females to 31 mm. The head is rather narrow when the animal is viewed top-down . Dorsal: Dorsal surface pale to bright yellow with two fairly distinct light brown lines running in parallel down the length of the dorsum. Upper surfaces of the thighs with dark markings. The dorsal surface is smooth. Ventral: Ventral surface pale cream or white and granular in texture. The throat may be more yellowish. Concealed surfaces: Concealed surfaces of the thighs are yellow, with no additional patterning. The lateral surface is darker than the dorsum; a white line typically separates this dark lateral striping from the yellow dorsal coloration. Eye: Iris bronze in color. Extremities: Hands have little webbing, but feet are extensively webbed. All digits end in large terminal discs characteristics of treefrogs.
Breeding season: Dendropsophus microcephalus breeds throughout the rainy season (Ibanez et al 1999). Breeding occurs in small ponds and temporary wetlands (Savage 2002). Egg: Small clutches of eggs are laid in water, attached to vegetation near the surface (Savage 2002). Tadpole: Tadpoles are small with a tan, oval-shaped body (Savage 2002). A dark bar extends from the mouth to the eye (Savage 2002). The tail is rather short with a high upper fin and a more shallow lower fin (Savage 2002). Tail color is deep orange, fading to translucent at the rear (Savage 2002).Tadpoles have no denticles nor oral papillae (Savage 2002).
Habitat: Lowland and premontane forest to 1300 m. Call: An insect-like "creek" followed by a series of "eeks" (Savage 2002). This species also produces an aggressive call (Schwartz and Wells 1985). Behavior and communication: Males increase call rates in the presence of both con- and hetero-specifics (including D. ebraccatus and D. phlebodes, Schwartz and Wells 1984, Schwartz and Wells 1985). Karyotype: 2N = 30 (Bogart 1973) Evolotion: This species may actually be a complex of several species, but the taxonomy of the group is currently unresolved. Type locality: Chiriqui