The shell is spherical and can reach a size somewhat larger than a golf ball, and is typically ornamented with spiral lines of knoblike structures (Hershler et al. 1990)

Tulotoma occur in cool, well-oxygenated, clean, free-flowing streams, including rivers and the lower portions of the rivers’ larger tributaries (Hershler et al. 1990). Although this species is typically associated with shoals and shallower stream areas with moderate to strong currents, it inhabits rivers that rise and fall, and tulotoma have been collected at depths more than 5 m (16.4 feet) (Hartfield 1991).  The species is strongly associated with boulder, cobble, and bedrock stream bottoms and is generally found clinging tightly to the underside of large rocks or between cracks in bedrock (Christman et al. 1996).  Historical habitats included large coastal plain rivers, large high-gradient rivers, and multiple upland tributary streams.

From recent surveys performed by Garner et al. (2016) using side-scan sonar, additional tulotoma habitat details have been discovered.  It was observed that the snails occurred exclusively under boulders composed of dense, hard rock.  They were never detected under brittle siltstone boulders nor in boulder habitat whose interstitial areas were completely void or completely filled with silt (Garner et al. 2016).  A degree of silt and sand needed to be present for any amount of tulotoma colonization (Garner et al. 2016).