I find Aspidisca lynceus very frequently and permanently in almost all my sampling sites. The species is not easy to find in fresh samples because of its small size, but Aspidisca lynceus likes to settle on the floating coverslip.

Aspidisca lynceus is very easy to observe on the floating coverslip, as the ciliate runs over the glass surface with the frontal and transverse cirri facing the lens. For accurate identification, however, it is important to examine the dorsal side. This is smooth and convex in Aspidisca lynceus. It has no ribs, like the similar species Aspidisca cicada.

The ciliation of Aspidisca lynceus is clearly reduced in comparison to other hypotrichous ciliates. There are only 7 ventral cirri and 5 transversal cirri (s. fig. 2 a-c). In addition, there is a small pit at the anterior end with a membranelle of 3 cirri, which is difficult to recognize (s. fig. 1 b). On the smooth, dorsal side, there are 5–6 rows of very short bristles, which are also difficult to recognize.