[4] The specific name pachydactyla is derived from Greek pachys (=thick) and daktylos (=finger), referring to the thick, short, swollen fingers of this frog.

It is an adult male measuring 11 mm (0.4 in) in snout–vent length, and with a subgular vocal sac.

The fingers lack discs and are short with swollen subdigital pads.

[2] Little is known of this species;[1] the holotype was collected at night on a cacao farm under cacao trees, bananas, and some larger shade trees, found on the ground in the leaf-litter near a small creek.

[1] The probable threat to this species is habitat loss caused by agriculture, wood plantations, collection of bromeliads, and logging.