The species was first formally described in 1987 by the lichenologists Josef Poelt and Pier Luigi Nimis, based on specimens collected in Sardinia.

The type specimen was found at Isola dei Cavoli, near the southern part of Cape Carbonara, within the Province of Cagliari.

It is distinguished from similar species by its small size, parasitic growth on Helmutiopsis alba (formerly in genus Rinodina), the thick swollen cells in the paraphyses, and its broadly elliptical to spherical spores.

[2] Caloplaca rinodinae-albae was first identified in Sardinia, Italy, specifically on the Isola dei Cavoli, near Capo Carbonara.

It is considered a vulnerable species because it is at risk from accidental fire (owing to its small area of occurrence), tourism development, and increased erosion on Sardinia's coasts.