A typical tadpole in stage 30 of development (KU 87652 from 11 km. N Vista Hermosa, Oaxaca, México) can be described as follows:
Body length 9.5 mm.; tail length 15.5 mm.; total length 25.0 mm.; body slightly wider than deep; snout rounded laterally, broadly ovoid dorsally; eyes widely separated, directed dorsolaterally; nostril about midway between eye and tip of snout; mouth anteroventral; spiracle sinistral, slightly posterior to midpoint of body and slightly below midline; anal tube dextral; caudal musculature slender, barely curved upward distally; dorsal fin not extending onto body, depth of dorsal fin slightly more than that of ventral fin on mid-length of tail; dorsal part of body dark brown; ventral surfaces transparent, lacking pigment; posterior edge of body pale cream-color; caudal musculature creamy white with interconnected brown spots; caudal fins transparent with small brown blotches on dorsal fin and posterior half of ventral fin; iris coppery bronze in life (Fig. 12). Mouth small, median part of upper lip bare; rest of mouth bordered by single row of bluntly rounded papillae; lateral fold present; tooth rows 2/3; all tooth-rows approximately equal in length; second upper row broadly interrupted medially; other rows complete; upper beak moderately deep, forming broad arch with slender lateral processes; lower beak slender, broadly V-shaped; both beaks finely serrate (Fig. 15C).
All tadpoles having fully developed mouth parts have 2/3 tooth rows. Little variation is noticeable in coloration. In many specimens the posterior edge of the body is dark brown instead of pale cream-color. Mottling is rather dense on the caudal fins in all specimens; in some individuals pigment is concentrated along the anterior one-third of the lateral groove. In life the body is dark brown with greenish gold flecks ventrally; the caudal musculature is gray.
In each of two recently metamorphosed young the snout-vent length is 14.0 mm. Coloration of young in life (KU 87653 from 11 km. N Vista Hermosa, Oaxaca, México): "Dorsum pale tan with dark brown markings. Thighs orange-yellow; labial stripe white; iris bronze" (Duellman, field notes, July 10, 1964.)
Remarks.—Smith (1953:150) named cyanosticta as a subspecies of Hyla phaeota. The differences in cranial characters and certain external characters between phaeota and cyanosticta indicate that they are distinct species. Furthermore, a gap of about 350 kilometers exists between the known geographic ranges of the two kinds.
Distribution.—Smilisca cyanosticta inhabits wet forests on the Atlantic slope of southern México and northern Central America from northern Oaxaca and southern Veracruz through northern Chiapas in México and into El Petén and northern Alta Verapaz in Guatemala (Fig. 2). Apparently the range is discontinuous, for in southern México the species is found in cloud forest at elevations of 830 to 900 meters on the northern slopes of the Sierra de Juárez. In the Sierra de Los Tuxtlas in southern Veracruz the species is found in wet forest at elevations of 300 to 1200 meters, but is absent in the intervening lowlands characterized by drier forest. In the west forests of northern Alta Verapaz and El Petén, Guatemala, the species is found at low elevations.
Specimens examined.—78, as follows: Mexico: Chiapas: Monte Libano, MCZ 28271-9; 8 km. N San Fernando, 24 km. NE Tuxtla Gutierrez, UIMNH 41588. Oaxaca: 11 km. N Vista Hermosa, KU 84918-20 (skeletons), 87198-212, 87647 (eggs), 87648-52 (tadpoles), 87653 (young), UIMNH 57199-201; 8 km. S Yetla, KU 87213, UMMZ 124838 (8). Veracruz: Coyame, UMMZ 111459-60; between Coyame and Tebanco, UMMZ 121198; Dos Amates, UMMZ 121297; between Laguna de Catemaco and Volcán San Martín, UMMZ 121200; Volcán San Martín, UIMNH 35403-4, 35408-12, UMMZ 118163; SE slope Volcán San Martín, UMMZ 121199, 121295 (2), 121296, 121298.
Guatemala: Alta Verapaz: Chinajá, KU 55935-7, 55938 (skeleton). El
Petén: 10 km. NNW Chinajá (Alta Verapaz), KU 55934; Piedras Negras, CNHM 99006-7, 99227, UIMNH 28853, USNM 111139-41, 111143-7; 8 km. S Piedras Negras, CNHM 99008; Semicoch, USNM 35907.