Distribution.—Hyla elaeochroa occurs on the Caribbean lowlands from western Panamá through Costa Rica to eastern Nicaragua, and on the Pacific lowlands of southeastern Costa Rica and extreme western Panamá. Most localities where it has been collected are below 800 meters, but the species has been found at two localities above 1000 meters (El Silencio and Pacuare, Cartago Province) on the Caribbean slopes of the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica (Fig. 6).
Specimens Examined.—Nicaragua: Zelaya: El Recreo, UMMZ 79721 (9).
Costa Rica: Alajuela: Laguna Monte Alegre, KU 64499. Cartago: 2 km E Chitaría, KU 107058; El Silencio, 14.4 km NE Turrialba, KU 107059-60; 4.6 km ENE Pacuare, KU 64451-75, 64628-37; 4 km S Pavones, KU 64500; Turrialba (Instituto Interamericano de Ciéncias Agrícolas), KU 30305-26, 24616-57, 30337-54, 31776-91, 31803, 31807-15, 64413-50, 68283-87 (skeletons), 68390-1 (young), 35042 (eggs), 25207-8 (skeletons), 25221 (skeleton), 41073-83 (skeletons). Guanacaste: 2 km E Tilarán, KU 86356-77, 87667-8 (young). Heredia: Puerto Viejo, KU 36696, 46466, 64501-17, 68288-91, 68387, 68388-9 (young), 91803 (young), 91688-9, 104134 (tadpoles), 104135 (young), 104354-6 (skeletons); 1.5 km N Puerto Viejo, KU 64518-23, 68386 (tadpoles); 1 km S Puerto Viejo, KU 84985-6 (skeletons), 87669 (young), 87772-3 (skeletons). Limón: Bataán, KU 30327-36; La Lola, KU 64478-98, 68281-2 (skeletons); Los Diamantes, KU 31800-02, 64476-7; Peralta, KU 31816-21; Puerto Limón, KU 31792-99; Suretka, KU 36467-79, 36697, 41084. Puntarenas: 5 km NW Buenos Aires, KU 107057; 10 km E Esparta, KU 87666 (tadpoles); Golfito, KU 32166-8; 8 km E Palmer Norte KU 93939; 10.7 km SE Palmar Sur, KU 93938 (skeleton), 93940-51, 93952 (eggs), 93953-6 (tadpoles); Piedras Blancas, KU 103646-59; 4.5 km W Rincón de Osa, KU 102208-41, 104298 (tadpoles).
Fig. 6. Map showing locality records for Hyla elaeochroa (circles) and H. rubra (dots).
Panamá: Bocas del Toro: Almirante, KU 80079; Isla Bastimentos, KU 96008-11; Río Cricamola, 3.7 km from coast, KU 96012. Chiriquí: Río Gariché, 8.3 km ESE Paso de Canoas, KU 101571-2.
Hyla staufferi Cope
Hyla staufferi Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 17:165, October 1, 1865 [Holotype.—USNM 15317, Orizaba, Veracruz, México; Francis Sumichrast collector].
Diagnosis.—Small frogs (♂ to 29 mm., ♀ to 31.6 mm.); skull longer than wide; palatine absent; large cartilaginous crista parotica present; snout flat, elongate and protruding; dark interorbital bar and dorsal stripes usually present.