Abavorana luctuosa is a magnificent frog that seems colorful on a homogenous background but virtually dissolves when sitting in its preferred microhabitat, i.e. leaf litter. Males and females reach up to 60 mm snout-vent length.

We have found this species in lowland mixed dipterocarp forsest but also in patches of kerangas. 

A. luctuosa is a black frog with a mahogany-brown back, lined with white contours. The thighs are banded; with geographic variation as you see below: left specimen from western Sarawak, right specimen from east Sabah.

The call is a single note rising in frequency. Details of egg deposition are unknown. The tadpoles of this species grow to an impressive size (> 60 mm). These are fairly strong animals, some of them able to escape attacks of dragonfly larvae (tadpoles with scars and regenerated tail tips are common). 

Tadpoles live in stagnant or very slow moving waters, such as ponds or lenic stretches of streams.