The specific name, malcolmsmithi, is in honor of British herpetologist Malcolm Arthur Smith.

[3] H. malcolmsmithi is found in northern India, in the Indian state of Punjab.

[2] The type locality is "Beas River basin, Punjab, India".

[4] The preferred natural habitats of H. malcolmsmithi are shrubland and forest.

[1] A small species for its genus, H. malcolmsmithi has a maximum recorded snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 5.4 cm (2.1 in).