The body ground color varies from gray to rust-brown to almost black. The belly may be plain gray or be grayish with dark spots. The tail fins are often tinged with orange or red. The legs are short and stout with four toes on front and rear, the inner toes are longer than the outer. There are 15 costal grooves.
Juveniles have a dark mid-dorsal stripe flanked by pale tan stripes and dark sides.
The stripes gradually break up to leave scattered dark spots on the adult ground color. Males can be identified by the longitudinal slit, wrinkled at the margins. Females have a simple slit. Fertilization is internal, with the male depositing a spermatophore. The female then deposits the developing eggs in spring or summer and attends them until hatch in 38-63 days.