Adult: Species description based on Ibanez et al (1999) and Savage (2002). Very small. Males 17-24 mm, females 16-25 mm. Dorsal: Skin smooth. Dorsal surface dark brown; the limbs are a lighter shade of brown. Ventral: Ventral surface is smooth and white. Males have a black throat and chest, whereas in females, the chest is white. Distinguishing characteristics: Flank black, bordered by tan or bronze line above (running from the eye to the rear end) and a white line below (running from the lip to the groin). Some additional white lines or spots may be present below the primary white line. Eye: Iris bronze. Extremities: Hands and feet without webs.
Breeding season: Breeds throughout the rainy season, and longer in wetter areas (Savage 2002). Males call during the day, mostly in the early morning or late afternoon, or after rainshowers (Savage 2002). This species avoids breeding in open pastures (Hawley 2008). Tadpole: The tadpole is dark brown dorsally and slightly lighter ventrally, with a medium to dark brown, heavily pigmented tail (Savage 2002). Mouth contains a beak, with 2 teeth rows above and 3 below.
Habitat: Humid lowland and premontane forest [from sea level] to 800 m. Call: A somewhat high-pitched "chip-chip, chip-chip" repeated a variable number of times (Ibanez et al 1999). A detailed description of the call may be found in Edwards (1974). Behavior and communication: This species is diurnal, and can be found in the leaf litter on the forest floor (Ibanez et al 1999). Both males and females are territorial (Ibanez et al 1999). Karyotype: 2N = 24 (Bogart 1991) Type locality: "near Old Harbour, on the East coast" (Costa Rica) Physiology: Although A. talamancae eats ants, it does not seem to accumulate alkaloids in its skin the way some other dendrobatids do (Darst et al 2005, Darst 2006). Thus, this species is non-toxic (Darst et al 2005, Darst 2006, Summers and Clough 2001). Diet: Allobates talamancae feeds on invertebrates, including ants (Toft 1981).