RESUMENLos Ovinos de Pelo Criollos Colombianos (OPC) Etiope se han destacado por haber sido proveedores de proteina animal a lo largo de muchos anos para campesinos e indigenas. No obstante, no se ha consensuado aun sobre el estado racial de este recurso zoogenetico, lo que ha favorecido a que se acentue la amenaza que esta produciendo la introduccion de razas foraneas, pues mientras no se tenga claridad sobre la clasificacion racial de los Etiope y OPC en general, dificilmente se creara consciencia en los productores sobre que es lo que deben conservar, mejorar y el porque. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este trabajo fue describir morfologica y faneropticamente hembras OPC Etiope, para asi contribuir a su adecuada caracterizacion y clasificacion racial. El presente estudio se desarrollo en nueve producciones de los departamentos Cordoba y Bolivar (Colombia), siendo evaluadas seis caracteristicas faneropticas y siete morfologicas en 92 ovejas. La evaluacion de dichos caracteres se hizo mediante observacion directa, con el apoyo de una camara fotografica y un goniometro digital. El analisis de la informacion fue realizado a traves de la estimacion de la frecuencia relativa y absoluta, mediante programa InfoStat®. Las Etiope se caracterizaron por ser generalmente de capa rojo oscuro (43,48%) o rojo quemado (44,57%), de mucosas negra-rosadas (93,48%), orejas direccionadas horizontalmente (100%), perfil cefalico subconvexo (72,83%), ventrudas (81,52%), de grupa inclinada (86,96%), pezunas veteadas (81,32%), con presencia ocasional de mamellas (24,28%) y ubres pigmentadas (13,19%). De ello se concluye que, esta descripcion centrada solo en las Etiope, y elaborada detalladamente, estara en la capacidad de brindar elementos que ayuden a definir los rasgos que determinen la pertenencia a este grupo etnico y a un consenso sobre la adecuada clasificacion racial de estos ovinos autoctonos.ABSTRACTEtiope Colombian creole woolless sheep (OPC) have been suppliers of animal protein throughout years for peasant and indigenous people. However, the breed status of this animal genetic resource has not been agreed yet, which has favored to accentuate the menace produced by the introduction of foreign breeds since without clarity about the breed classification of Etiope and OPC in general, it is difficult to create awareness among farmers about what they should conserve, improve and why. The objective of this research was to describe morphologically and phaneroptically Etiope OPC, for contributing with its suitable characterization and breed classification. This study was developed in nine farms which were located in the Cordoba and Bolivar Departaments (Colombia), six phaneroptical traits and seven morphological qualitative characteristics were evaluated in 92 ewes. The assessment of these characteristics was made by direct observation with the support of a photographic camera and a digital goniometer. Data analysis was made through the estimation of absolute and relative frequency with the software InfoStat®. Etiopes were generally dark red (43.48%) or very dark red (44.57%) coat color, black-rosy mucosae (93.48%), horizontally oriented ears (100%), sub-convex cephalic profile (72.83%), potbellied (81.52%), inclined rump (86.96%), marbled hooves (81.32%), with occasional wattle presences (24.28%) and pigmented udders (13.19%). In conclusion, this description focused on Etiope sheep, and elaborated minutely, provided elements which help to define the traits which determine the belonging to this ethnic group as well as they help to reach a consensus on the appropriate breed classification of these autochthonous ovines.