The A horizon has colors in hue of 10YR, chroma of 1 through 3, and value of 4 through 6. Horizons with chroma of 1 are less than 10 inches thick. The B horizons have colors in hue of 10YR, chroma of 2 and 3, and value of 5 through 7. The B horizon has common to many streaks with colors of the A horizon. The BC and C horizons where present, have colors similar to the B horizon but usually of higher chroma or higher value.
Mottles are fine to medium, faint to distinct, and brownish, grayish, or yellowish.
Similar soils include the Cochina , Harlingen , and Mercedes series. Arroyada and Mercedes soils have chroma of less than 1.5 in the upper 30 cm of their surfaces. Catarina soils have an intermitent water table deeper in the profile, are moderately well drained, and formed in residuum and colluvium. Cotulla and Duvert soils do not have an intermittent water table within 60 inches of the surface. In addition, Duvert soils have a paralithic contact between 20 to 40 inches of the surface.