[2] It lives in coastal waters at depths of 5–60 m (20–200 ft),[3] under stones or among decaying organic matter where it is common and sometimes abundant.

[5] N. bipes is orange or yellowish green and about one centimetre long.

It has a loosely attached thin shell composed of two halves joined longitudinally which protect most of the segments.

The eyes are red and on stalks and there is a rostral spine projecting forward between them.

The tail continues with two further pairs of stubby appendages and ends in a fork.