The main feature of the short-tailed pit viper is a triangular head with cheek sockets, a small body and a short and thin tail.

The back of the short-tailed pit viper is light brown to reddish brown, with two Lines of dark brown round spots, left and right staggered or juxtaposed, the central spot is light in color, and the outer side is often open in the shape of a horse. The rear part of the short-tailed pit viper's tail is yellowish-white, but the tip of the tail is often black. The snout edge of the short-tailed pit viper is obvious, and the outer side of the nasal scales is tapered and curved back. The short-tailed pit viperhas buccal sockets and teeth. There is a row of black-brown irregular lateral thick spots on the outside of the dorsal scales and between the ventral scales of the short-tailed pit viper, in the shape of a star. The ventral surface of the short-tailed pit viper is grayish-white with tan or black-brown fine spots.