''Golenkiniopsis'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

green algae The green algae (: green alga) are a group of chlorophyll-containing autotrophic eukaryotes consisting of the phylum Prasinodermophyta and its unnamed sister group that contains the Chlorophyta and Charophyta/ Streptophyta. The land plants ...

in the family

Chlorellaceae Chlorellaceae are a family of green algae in the order Chlorellales. About 250 species are currently accepted in the family. Members of the family are distributed worldwide and are common in a variety of freshwater, terrestrial and marine enviro ...

. It is found in

freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. The term excludes seawater and brackish water, but it does include non-salty mi ...

plankton worldwide, but is rare.

Description

''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 A chloroplast () is a type of membrane-bound organelle, organelle known as a plastid that conducts photosynthesis mostly in plant cell, plant and algae, algal cells. Chloroplasts have a high concentration of chlorophyll pigments which captur ...

with one spherical to ellipsoidal

pyrenoid Pyrenoids are sub-cellular phase-separated micro-compartments found in chloroplasts of many algae,Giordano, M., Beardall, J., & Raven, J. A. (2005). CO2 concentrating mechanisms in algae: mechanisms, environmental modulation, and evolution. ''An ...

. 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

, whereas ''Golenkiniopsis'' has no mucilage around the spines, a poculiform chloroplast and a non-reniform pyrenoid.

References

Trebouxiophyceae genera Chlorellaceae Freshwater algae {{Green algae-stub