Shell greatly reduced, globose, provided with paired pallets located at the base of the siphons; these pallets function as doors when the animal is disturbed (Turner, 1966).
 

« Pallets greatly elongate, blade composed of numerous cone-like elements on a central stalk, cones separate and easily removed from the stalk, particularly in dried specimens. Cones with a calcareous base covered with periostracum which extends as a border. The width and ornamentation of the periostracal border varies greatly; it may be smooth, coarsely to finely serrated, or produced laterally as awns. Siphons fairly long and separated. Young not retained within the parent. » – R. D. Turner: A Survey and Illustrated Catalogue of Teredinidae, Cambridge 1966, p.80. In this genus, only the pallets can help identifying the species, as the shells can vary from a day to another, and share so many characters that it becomes impossible to differenciate the species by the examination of the valves only. See Johnsonia vol.19, p.13.
 

« Pallets with a calcareous base and a pronounced brown in nearly black periostracal cap which can readily be separated from the base or with a periostracal cup set in calcareous base. The calcareous portion is narrowly to broadly rounded at the distal end and is often marked by concentric growth lines. The distal margin of the periostracal portion may be straight, broadly curved, or may have lateral horns. It may be solid or with a bubble-like cavity, which in old specimens breaks open, allowing the cavity to become filled with debris which solidifies to produce a knob-like process. The shells cannot be distinguished from those of Teredo and Bankia. Siphons relatively short and separate. The young are carried by the female until the late veliger stage. » – R. D. Turner: A Survey and Illustrated Catalogue of Teredinidae, Cambridge 1966, p.78.
 

« Shell […] with the posterior part so attached to the posterior median portion of the median part as to form a decided shelf, which projects inward. Pallets spoon shaped as in Psiloteredo. […] In the present subgenus we have the posterior portion projecting inwardly over the posterior median part to form a strong shelf, as in Neoteredo. It differs from this at once by the possession of entirely different pallets, which are like those of Psiloteredo.  » – P. Bartsch: “Additions to our knowledge of shipworms”, Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington vol. 36, Washington 1923, p.100-101.
 

« Pallets solid, almost entirely calcareous, broad to elongate oval in outline, and with a short stalk. Blade thick at the base, becoming thin at the distal margin, slightly concave on the inner face and convex on the outer. Outer face with a moderate to deep thumbnail-like depression or a slight depression with two finger-like projections extending from it in the young stage, the pallets becoming paddle-like in the adult. Valves with prominent condyles and moderate to large, ear-shaped posterior slopes which are usually flaring. Tubes of all species probably concamerated at the posterior end. Siphons united except at the tip. Gills reduced to the food groove only over the visceral mass. » – R. D. Turner: A Survey and Illustrated Catalogue of Teredinidae, Cambridge 1966, p.76.
 

« Pallets variable, but with the blade always in one piece, usually with a small cup which may be divided medially. Periostracum usually thin and closely adhering to the calcareous portion, but if extending beyond the calcareous portion as a border, it is never in the form of a cap as is Lyrodus. Blade usually sheathing the stalk for a short distance, the stalk varying in length but solid. The shells cannot be distinguished from those of Lyrodus and Bankia. The siphons are long, and separate. The young are retained within the female until the veliger stage. » – R. D. Turner: A Survey and Illustrated Catalogue of Teredinidae, Cambridge 1966, p.76.