Kahl decribed the odontostomatid ciliate Epalxella striata to be frequent in occurrence. However, in my sampling area Simmelried I have found this species only very rarely. In 1995 I found a specimen in the uppermost mud layer. At that time I could document the right side (s. fig. 1a-b). It was not until 13 years later that I found a second specimen in 2008 to photograph the left side. Since then I have not found another specimen.

A characteristic feature of Epalxella striata are the protrusions of the pellicle on the left side, where the longitudinal ridges meet the posterior margin. This gives the impression that the pellicle is folded at the posterior margin (s. fig. 2a and 2b).