Meristogenys whiteheadi inhabits rocky streams in lowland forests of Sabah and Sarawak. In their publication Shimada et al. (2011) differentiated M. whiteheadi versus M. stigmachilus and M. stenocephalus. 

The males measure 40–50 mm in snout-vent length, females have been reported with up to 66 mm snout–vent length. Among Meristogenys, this is one of the larger species. Toe webbing is complete, i.e. the webbing reaches the disk on Toe IV. The head is fairly broad (HW/SVL usually more than 0.35). 

The back is light brown to greenish dark brown. The upper and lower lips are dark grey to black. The iris is bicoloured, whitish brown above and below, with a segment of reddish orange in between. The rear of thigh is dark brown, dusted with small light spots. A small light spot usually is in the centre of the tympanum. The throat and chest are whitish, with dots of melanophores. The belly is whitish and the ventral surfaces of legs are also whitish, with patches of melanophore pigmentation.

There are not black dots on the upper lip or on the back (present in M. stigmachilus). A small light circle is usually on the centre of the tympanum. The limbs are marked dorsally with alternating light- and dark-brown cross-bars. The rear of thigh is light brown with scattered light dots. The throat and chest are whitish, with dots of melanophores; abdomen whitish. The ventral surfaces of the legs are whitish, with patches of pigmentation of melanophores.

The larvae of M. whiteheadi are indistinguishable from those of M. stigmachilus. See comments there. Head-trunk of body <12 mm at stages 26–29.