It was first described in 1835 by William Henry Benson, an amateur malacologist in the Bengal Civil Service.

Benson described the shell of Carinaria galea in detail as "Shell dextral, with the last whorl incurved, compressed, conical, nearly embracing the terminal spire, marked with transverse rugae, broadly keeled.

A pigmented area containing the main body organs is concealed in the shell alongside about six gills.

On the opposite side of the animal to the shell is a large rounded swimming fin with a sucker.

It is found in the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean and is a holoplanktonic species that spends it entire life as part of the plankton.