Its specific name, "chukuchuku" comes from a Cameroonian pidgin English phrase meaning "spiny" or "thorny".

[2] Spiny puddle frogs are easily distinguished from other members of their genus due to the unique ventral coloration of the males, a dark black.

[2] As tadpoles, spiny puddle frogs range from 6–7 mm long, and have ovoid body shapes.

They are threatened by a number of things, including climate change, livestock grazing, fire, and disease.

Conservation efforts in the area are scarce, and experts believe that more research needs to be conducted on Mount Oku to determine how to protect its fauna, including the spiny puddle frog, from these threats.