The orangenacre mucket is yellow to dark reddish brown in color and if it has fine rays, or stripes, on the shell. Due to its overall dark coloration, the rays are often obscured.

Similar to other members of its genus, from March through May females angle for host fish species to complete their life cycle by displaying a structure containing larvae, also called superconglutinate, at the end of a clear mucus tube. Unsuspecting species of bass that attempt to eat the superconglutinate will instead host muscle larvae until the larvae mature and fall off the fish to begin its live in the stream substrate.