[1] Carteria are similar in morphology to the common genus Chlamydomonas and differ by having four, rather than two, flagella at the vegetative stage.

[4] Asexual reproduction occurs via zoospore formation within the parent cell wall.

Among them are Provasoliella, which lacks pyrenoids,[7] and Pseudocarteria, which has multiple (more than two) contractile vacuoles dispersed throughout the cytoplasm.

[6] Based on the ultrastructure of the flagellar basal bodies, Lembi et al. divided Carteria into two groups.

Group II contains ellipsoidal cells with flagellar bodies oriented in a four-armed spiral.