The Rayed Bean was historically known from 11 states and the Province of Ontario. In Canada, this species was known from western Lake Erie, the Detroit River and the Sydenham and Thames Rivers in the Lake St. Clair drainage however, it is now restricted to the middle reach of the Sydenham River. The Rayed Bean is usually found in or near riffle areas of headwater and small tributaries of river systems. It is typically found deeply buried in the sand and gravel substrate among the roots of aquatic vegetation, generally in low flow areas.

The shell of the Rayed Bean is very small, thick and sub-elliptical in shape. Females tend to be more inflated and more broadly rounded posteriorly than males. The outside of the shell is normally light or dark green with crowded, wavy, darker green rays and the inside of the shell is silvery white and iridescent. The Rayed Bean has a narrow beak, slightly elevated about the hinge line and not excavated. It has a fine beak sculpture with five crowded double-looped ridges. The hinge teeth are heavy with serrated triangular teeth and shorter, elongated teeth. The Rayed Bean is a moderately long-lived, sexually-dimorphic species with a lifespan of at least 10 years.