[1][3] The species is named for American herpetologist Richard G. Zweifel,[2][4] a specialist in New Guinean herpetology and microhylid frogs; he is also said to share "characteristically terse vocalizations" with this frog.

Dorsal coloration is variable and can be mostly uniform light chocolate-brown, but with a yellow vertebral stripe and darker on head and anterior part of body, or without a vertebral stripe but heavily mottled with tan and brown blotches overlaid with black specks and small black blotches.

[2] The male advertisement call consists of a single note uttered irregularly but frequently during the day and early evening.

[1][2] These frogs are fossorial, with individuals occupying small cavities on the forest floor.

[1] It is patchily distributed but can be locally common;[2] it is uncommon in the Hunstein Mountains.