The form-taxon contains a wide array of rod-like fossils, 100 μm to some mm long, that culminate in a broad bulbous 'head', often separated from the stalk by a constriction.

[1] The bulbous end may bear broad 'prongs', giving the appearance of the end of a human femur where the prongs are paired, although the prongs often occur in higher number – five, six, a dozen – with some resemblance to Namacalathus.

[2] The affinity of melanosclerites is uncertain; algal has been proposed, but hydrozoan (cnidarian) is preferred, though not conclusively established.

[1] Melanoscleritoites Eisenack, 1963 is interpreted as a hydrozoan,[3] with other taxa not attributable to that particular class, on the basis of a broad morphological similarity – though the distinguishing features are far from unequivocal,[1] and the preservation of the material raises some taphonomic problems.

The composition resembles that of chitinozoans, scolecodonts, graptolites, and fungi – though at least one species of extant cubomedusan hydroid does produce a similarity resilient "chitinous" 'wall'.