[3] The knife-footed frog is of moderate to stout stature and can be grey to grey-brown to olive-brown or green in colouration with irregular patches.

[3] A streak of colouration that is faint to strong extends from the corner of the eye down to merge with side patterns.

[6] Recent reclassifications of the genus Cyclorana into Dryopsophus and then Ranoidea have not yet been accepted by all taxonomic authorities.

To prevent desiccation, it burrows underground and forms a cocoon while undergoing aestivation, a period of dormancy.

[4] After this heavy rain, males take up position on the edges of semi-permanent waterbodies and emit a call that is a high-pitched stead moan which ends in an upward inflection.

[4] Like other species within the Hylidae family, the knife-footed frog breeds in pectoral amplexus, where the male grasps the female by the armpits from behind in order to fertilise her eggs.

[3] The spawn of the knife-footed frog has not been described but they are likely to be similar to other Cyclorana species with eggs being laid in large clumps floating or submerged in open water of creeks, ponds, drainage ditches and clay pans.

[4] Where oxygen levels are low, knife-footed frog tadpoles can be seen taking air from the surface frequently and congregating in groups.

[20] The reasons given for this assessment were that the species had a widespread distribution, and the population was presumed large with no evidence of rapid decline.

[20] In South Australia, the knife-footed frog is listed as Rare under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972.