Diagnosis: Shell ovoid to oblate, elliptical in cross‑section, composed of elongated elliptical hyaline scales arranged in a brick‑like pattern. The edges of the platelets are regularly rounded and do not interlock. The pseudostome is circular, approximately 5.5 µm in diameter, and bordered by a slightly thickened rim formed from the chitinoid ground substance of the shell. The shell is extremely delicate and thin‑walled.

The genus differs from Euglypha in the structure of the pseudostome: in Euglypha, the pseudostome is surrounded by platelets of a characteristic structure, whereas in Valkanovia it is bordered by a rim and not by specialized platelets.