Golenkiniopsis consists of spherical to somewhat ovoid cells that are covered in spines. Cells are typically solitary, but rarely the spines may become tangled with each other and create a colony-like appearance. The spines are thickened at the base and taper towards the tip. Cells contain a single parietal, cup-shaped
chloroplast with one spherical to ellipsoidal
pyrenoid. The genus is very similar to
Golenkinia, and is taxonomically confused. The original author Korshikov separated the two genera on the basis that
Golenkinia has mucilage surrounding the spines, an urceolate chloroplast and reniform
pyrenoid, whereas
Golenkiniopsis has no mucilage around the spines, a poculiform chloroplast and a non-reniform pyrenoid. ==References==