Fossils of Rhinocarcinosoma have been discovered in deposits ranging of Late Silurian age in the United States, Canada and Vietnam.

The generic name is derived from the related genus Carcinosoma, and the Greek ῥινός (rhinós, "nose"), referring to the unusual shovel-shaped protrusion on the front of the carapace (head plate) of Rhinocarcinosoma, its most distinctive feature.

Other than the protrusion, Rhinocarcinosoma was anatomically very similar to its close relative, Eusarcana, though it lacked the scorpion-like telson (the posteriormost division of the body) of that genus.

In terms of size, Rhinocarcinosoma was a medium-sized carcinosomatid eurypterid, with the largest species, R. vaningeni, reaching lengths of 39 centimetres (15.4 in).

It was adapted to a bottom-dwelling lifestyle, as either a burrowing or digging scavenger or top predator, feeding on other invertebrates and small fish.

[1] In terms of the outline of the body, with a broad abdomen and a nearly tubular postabdomen (tail), Rhinocarcinosoma was similar to the related genus Eusarcana.

[3][4] The species R. cicerops shares the forward and prominent position of the ocelli with R. vaningeni, but only has a slight development of the snout compared to the others.

The species was described based on a single carapace discovered in the Shawangunk grit at Otisville, New York,[3] of Llandovery-Ludlow age[1] (dating not entirely certain but likely only Late Silurian, i.e.

cicerops resembling species of that genus, in particular in the width of the body, the sub-triangular outline of the carapace and the oval shape and more or less marginal position of the eyes.

Regarded by Clarke and Ruedemann as "very unexpected and peculiar" and "puzzling", E. vaningeni was described based on fossils from Oriskany Creek in Oneida County, New York,[3] of Ludlow age.

Although the Vietnamese fossils did not preserve the diagnostic feature of Rhinocarcinosoma, the shovel-shaped protrusion at the front of the carapace (although some juvenile specimens preserve a slight protrusion), they could be referred to Rhinocarcinosoma on account of the rounded type A genital appendage, the triangular shape of the carapace and the slender shape of the more anterior appendages.

In 1985, Brian Jones and Erik N. Kjellesvig-Waering referred a poorly preserved part of a prosoma recovered in the Leopold Formation on Somerset Island in Canada to Rhinocarcinosoma sp.

[8] In 1992, Samuel J. Ciurca reported a Rhinocarcinosoma specimen, a carapace, from the McKenzie Formation just east of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania.

More evidence for Rhinocarcinosoma being a bottom-dwelling genus comes in the form of its swimming paddles being reduced in size compared to those of its relatives, such as Carcinosoma.

[2] The deposits at Otisville where R. cicerops have been discovered have also yielded other eurypterids, including Hughmilleria shawangunk, Nanahughmilleria clarkei, Ruedemannipterus stylonuroides, Erettopterus globiceps, Hardieopterus myops, Kiaeropterus otisius and Ctenopterus cestrotus.

[3] The Dô Son Formation, where R. dosonensis was discovered, very rarely preserves fossils meaning that dating the deposits is difficult.