The body chamber of tarphycerids is typically long and tubular,[1] as much as half the length of the containing whorl in most, greater than in the Silurian Ophidioceratidae.

The Tarphycerida evolved from the elongated, compressed, exogastric Bassleroceratidae, probably Bassleroceras, around the end of the Gasconadian through forms like Aphetoceras.

Close coiling developed rather quickly, and both gyroconic and evolute forms are found in the early middle Canadian.

Tarphycerids tend to uncoil in the late mature stage of their growth, indicating they settled into a benthic lifestyle as they became older.

The barrandeoceratid and plectoceratid families were once combined in the Barrandeocerida,[3] determined[2] to be invalid due to having multiple ancestors in the Tarphyceriatidae and therefore abandoned.