Small gastropods with a smooth, Planorbis-like shell, and hyperstrophic protoconch (in species with planktotrophic development). Animal with anteriorly shallowly bind foot, long, slender tentacles with eyes in the base, short, cylindrical snout and two pallial tentacles, of which the anterior one is much longer. Radula 2 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 2. Lateral teeth roughly fan-shaped with a narrow base, broad, serrated cutting edge and outer, smooth side folded forwards. Inner marginal tooth broader, paddle shaped with inner side and broad, rounded top finely serrated. Outer marginal claw-shaped with inner side serrated for a short distance close to point.

MARSHALL (1988) classified Xylodiscula in the Orbitestellidae, but that family has since been described in detail and redefined by PONDER (1990b). Species of Xylodiscula differ from that family in having the foot deeply divided anteriorly and the radula has lost the taenioglossate configuration typical for the orbitestellids. Furthermore, orbitestellids have a pair of conspicuous and complex jaws, evidently lacking in Xylodiscula.
Presently there is only a single genus in this family ,Xylodiscula, but it is likely that also some other of the small flat-spired gastropod genera will prove to belong here.