Its specific epithet, petiola, comes from Latin word petiolus, meaning diminutive foot, referring to species' small, narrow feet.

[2] Oedipina petiola is a moderately sized member of its genus, with the holotype being 42 cm long.

It is distinguished from closely related species by its lack of pale markings on its head, its smaller number of coastal grooves, and its characteristic small, narrow feet.

[2] Multiple amphibian surveys at the site since them have failed to find any more specimens and in 2019, the IUCN listed it as Critically Endangered and possibly extinct.

Research has shown that the cloud forests these salamanders inhabit are at an increased risk of being negatively impacted by climate change.