It is an aquatic species living in lakes, ponds, and marshes in flat, open areas, including grassland and flooded habitats. It is able to cross land. The eggs are carried on the back of the female, and the larvae emerge into water, where they develop. The body is slender and less depressed relative to other Pipa (Trueb and Cannatella 1986). The skin is covered with small protuberances, or tubercles, of varying size, density, and definition. On the head, tubercles tend to be smaller but uniform in size and distribution, while on the back they are dense and large. Upper surfaces of the limbs also have large tubercles, though not as numerous. Ventral tubercles are generally less prominent and less dense (Trueb and Cannatella 1986).