The genus Aspidisca is one of the most common hypotrichous ciliates in my sampling sites. Of the various species of this genus, I find Aspidisca cicada to be one of the most common. This species is in the literature also referred to Aspidisca costata and to Aspidisca sulcata, which are synonyms.

This ciliate is easy to observe as it likes to settle on the floating coverslip and is then easy to observe from the ventral side. However, the shape of the dorsal side is important for accurate identification. To do this, a few specimens have to place on the slide and wait for a few minutes before placing the coverslip. During this time, the specimens orient themselves with the ventral side of the glass surface. When the coverslip is then placed on the slide, the shape of the dorsal side can be closely examined. In the case of Aspidisca cicada, the dorsal side is convex and has 6–8 distinct ribs (s. fig. 2 a-c). This allows Aspidisca cicada to be distinguished from the similar species Aspidisca lynceus (smooth dorsal side) and Aspidisca turrita (dorsal side with spine).

The ciliature of Aspidisca cicada is clearly reduced compared to other hypotriche ciliates. There are only 7 ventral cirri and 5 transversal cirri. In addition, there is a small pit at the anterior end with a membranelle of 3 cirri, which is hard to see. Between the ribs on the dorsal side are rows of short bristles, which are also hard to see.