It is a sessile suspension feeder,[3] lives in clear water, and secretes tubes on the ocean floor.

Reported locations include:[7] The widespread distribution of Rhabdopleura normani suggests a possible presence of cryptic diversity.

It has been found at depths ranging from 5 m to 896 m, but most commonly occurs between 100 m and 300 m.[6][9] R. normani uses a local reversal of a ciliary beat to capture food.

They can be identified in the following ways:[4] The ventral depression is actually a glandular epithelium, as opposed to invaginating endoderm.

[4] Inside, the peritoneum of the coelomic cavities starts to disconnect from the main mass of the yolky mesenchyme cells.