Growing to about 1.1 centimeters (cm) (0.4 in) in length, the shell is conic in shape, strongly striate, and often folded in the upper whorls.

The species has also been found at single sites in Emauhee and Weewoka creeks, where specimens are rare, and difficult to locate.

Because of their small sizes and limited flows, their water and habitat quality can be rapidly affected by local and off site pollution sources.

The curtailment of habitat and range for this (and few other snail species) species in the Mobile Basin's larger rivers (Coosa River for lacy elimia) is primarily due to extensive construction of dams, and the subsequent inundation of the snail's shoal habitats by the impounded waters.

[3] Dams change such areas by eliminating or reducing currents, and thus allowing sediments to accumulate on inundated channel habitats.

For example, many reservoirs in the Basin currently experience eutrophic (enrichment of a water body with nutrients) conditions, and chronically low dissolved oxygen levels.

[9][10] Such physical and chemical changes can affect feeding, respiration, and reproduction of these riffle and shoal snail species.

[3] It is associated with river or stream habitats characterized by flowing currents, and hard, clean bottoms (e.g., bedrock, boulder, gravel).