Oophaga histrionica has smooth skin, and no tarsal tubercle. The ornosternum is lacking. Individuals exhibit a number of different color patterns, with most being a variation of one to many red, orange, or yellow spots on a black or brown background. The male is usually the same size or larger than the female (Walls 1994).
 
In 2011, the genus Dendrobates was subdivided into seven genera, including the new genus Oophaga by Brown et al (2011).