This lichen, found only in Bolivia, is distinguished by its unique genetic signature, as well as morphological characteristics like ascospore size and other traits.

The genus name Cinnabaria alludes to its similarity to members of the Caloplaca cinnabarina species group, as defined by Clifford Wetmore and Ingvar Kärnefelt in 1999.

The red apothecia, contrasting sharply with the thallus, are immersed and have polarilocular ascospores of medium size and thin septa, measuring between 2.0 and 3.5 μm in thickness.

The Australian species Neobrownliella montisfracti also shows similarities, but differs in having a pinkish, continuous to areolate thallus that thins towards the margin, and smaller apothecia and ascospores.

[3] Caloplaca fernandeziana is another species somewhat similar to Cinnabaria boliviana, known for its red apothecia contrasting against a yellowish thallus.