In the earlier (Lower Mississippian – Middle Permian) Prolecanitoidea, the shells are fairly smooth and characteristically have a large umbilicus and a generally evolute form.

In the later (Upper Mississippian – Triassic) Medlicottioidea, the umbilicus is small, shells tend to be involute, and there is moderate sculpture along the flanks.

One of the most basal members of the order was Protocanites, which has been (likely erroneously)[1] reported from the latest Devonian Louisiana Limestone of Missouri.

Not counting their ceratite descendants, the youngest known prolecanitids were Episageceras and Latisageceras, two Early Triassic medlicottioid genera in the subfamily Episageceratinae.

As many as 12–15 replicate, U-shaped umbilical lobes were added to the sutures during both ontogeny and phylogeny, originating at the umbilicus and migrating outward across the flanks.

Suture patterns in Prolecanitida evolved differently than in the Goniatitda, by increasing the number of umbilical lobes rather than by subdivision of the lateral saddle.