Adult: Species description based on Duellman (2001) and Savage (2002). A small treefrog (males to 24 mm, females to 27 mm). Dorsal: Dorsal coloration varies from yellowish tan to green. Ventral: The ventral surface is translucent white. Distinguishing characteristics: The wrist has a thin, dark band across the front. Eye: The iris is dull red, red-brown or bronzy pink. Extremities: The undersurfaces of the limbs are yellowish or greenish.
Breeding season: Breeding occurs in bromeliads (Dunn 1937). Egg: Eggs are laid on leaves of bromeliads, just above the water of the central cup (Dunn 1937). Gravid females contain up to 24 eggs (Taylor 1958, Duellman 1970). Tadpole: The tadpole is very unique. The body is flattened dorsally and appears guitar-shaped from above (Savage 2002). The tail is moderately long, with poorly developed fins (Savage 2002). Coloration is grey above and below (Savage 2002). Conspecific eggs have been found in the stomachs of preserved tadpoles (Dunn 1937).
Habitat: Premontane forest between 1200-1804 m. Ecology: Isthmohyla zeteki is found in association with bromeliads in the forest canopy (Dunn 1937). Call: The call is unknown (Duellman 2001, Savage 2002). Behavior and communication: Females may provide nutritive eggs for their offspring, but this behavior has not been confirmed (Savage 2002). Type locality: from a bromeliad in the Caldera Valley, above Boquete, Chiriqui Province, Panama