[2] The specific name, carpi, is in honor of South African amateur naturalist Bernhard Carp (1901–1966), who was a financial supporter of museum expeditions.

[3] The preferred natural habitat of P. carpi is desert, at altitudes from sea level to 300 m (980 ft).

[1] Adults of P. carpi usually have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 5.0–5.5 centimetres (2.0–2.2 in).

Dorsally, it has 3–5 dark brown crossbars on the body, and 5-9 more on the tail.

[1] Males of P. carpi make barking or chirping sounds to attract females.