Yoda's species

The species to which the legendary Jedi Master Yoda belonged was ancient and shrouded in mystery. The species had two sexes: male and female. Members of that species were small in size, with green skin and long pointed ears. Their three-fingered hands ended in claws. Their ears were expressive, curling and unfurling in accordance with their emotions. The species' life expectancy spanned several centuries.

Behind the scenes
"So he's a mystery character, he's a magical character. He has no background. He comes and he goes. He's the subversive secret mysterious stranger that enters the film and to then exits at the end."

- George Lucas, about Yoda's background

Star Wars creator George Lucas chose to keep the name and background of Yoda's species a mystery. As of April 2016, both Yoda's and Yaddle's official Databank entries on StarWars.com still list their species as "Unknown."

In Donald F. Glut's novelization of Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda was referred to as an elf.

In the documentary "From Puppets to Pixels", available on DVD bonus disc of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, Lucas joked that Yoda was "the illegitimate child of Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy."

In The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to Be a Jedi?, a canon retelling of Episode V written by Adam Gidwitz, Luke Skywalker calls Yoda a "little swamp frog."

Non-canon appearances

 * Disney Infinity 3.0
 * Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes
 * William Shakespeare's The Phantom of Menace: Star Wars Part the First
 * William Shakespeare's The Clone Army Attacketh: Star Wars Part the Second
 * William Shakespeare's Tragedy of the Sith's Revenge: Star Wars Part the Third
 * William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back
 * William Shakespeare's The Jedi Doth Return
 * Epic Yarns: The Empire Strikes Back
 * LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales Episodes I-III
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens