The organism described possesses a lorica, often adorned with numerous spines, ranging in color from yellowish to dark brown due to the presence of ferric hydroxide and a brown manganic compound. It features a single long flagellum extending from the anterior aperture, sometimes surrounded by a thickened collar. Chloroplasts are either two curved plates or numerous disc-shaped structures, with small paramylum bodies, a stigma, and a pyrenoid present. Reproduction occurs via fission, where one daughter cell retains the lorica and flagellum while the other escapes to form a new lorica. Cysts are commonly produced, and the organism inhabits freshwater environments. The lorica’s shape, size, color, and surface ornamentation vary widely and are used for taxonomic differentiation between species, varieties, and forms.