The western clawed frog is a medium-sized species with a somewhat flattened body and a snout-vent length of 28 to 55 mm (1.1 to 2.2 in), females being larger than males.

A row of unpigmented dermal tubercles runs along the flank from just behind the eye, and are thought to represent a lateral line organ.

[9] The western clawed frog is an aquatic species and is found in the West African rainforest belt with a range stretching from Senegal to Cameroon and eastern Zaire.

It is generally considered a forest-dwelling species and inhabits slow-moving streams, but it is also found in pools and temporary ponds in the northern Guinea and Sudan savannas.

When the rainy season starts it migrates across the forest floor at night to find temporary pools.

[11] Experimentation involving sex-reversed individuals, gynogenesis, triploids, and conventional crosses, has determined that X. tropicalis has three sex chromosomes: Y, W, and Z.

[11] As a result of this sex determination system, both male and female X. tropicalis can be either heterogametic or homogametic which is extremely rare in nature.

[12] The IUCN lists the western clawed frog as "Least Concern" because it has a wide distribution and is an adaptable species living in a range of habitats, and the population trend seems to be steady.

[1] Xenopus embryos and eggs are a popular model system for a wide range of biomedical research.

[3][13] This animal is widely used because of its powerful combination of experimental tractability and close evolutionary relationship with humans, at least compared to many model organisms.

[13] Unlike its sister species X. laevis, X. tropicalis is diploid and has a short generation time, facilitating genetic studies.