On the ventral side are two heterodynamic unequal flagella, the shorter beats towards the anterior direction while the long trails behind.

Nephroselmis have a single cup-shaped chloroplast that contains an eyespot in its anterior-ventral edge below the short flagellum and a pyrenoid with starch plates.

In the case of Nephroselmis spinosa, that exhibits some distinctive morphological characteristics, one of them is a unique outer scale type that has a spine that is extended for about 1μm, is slightly curved and has a hook shape at the end.

One of the interpretations to the observations of their interaction is that this symbiosis stage is leading to a secondary endosymbiosis, which will produce a completely new life form.

This can make the commercialization of biofuels economically feasible, and the products can be an alternative to fossil-derived commodities with zero carbon emissions.

"[8] A research published in January 2021 reveals new information about the diversity of algal phago-mixotrophy - “Our experimental results demonstrate the occurrence of bacterivory across all of the prasinophyte strains tested, spanning three prasinophyte groups: the Pyramimonadophyceae, the Nephroselmidophyceae, and the Mamiellophyceae”.

[10] Nephroselmis is monophyletic[7] and repeatedly appears in phylogenetic analysis results as an early divergent of the core chlorophytes.

[12] Earlier paper published in 2011 showed similar results - "The class Nephroselmidophyceae is considered to be situated in the early radiation of Chlorophyta, but the strict phylogenetic position is uncertain".