Meteora sporadica gen. nov et sp nov (Protista incertae sedis) -: an extraordinary free-living protist from the Mediterranean deep sea

The deep sea covers more than 90% of the ocean floor. Nevertheless, the knowledge of deep sea organisms - especially of protozoa - is scarce and many species found there are probably still undescribed. During sampling in the Sporades Basin (Mediterranean Sea), a new extraordinary protozoan species was found in sediments at a depth of 1,230 m. Meteora sporadica gen. nov. et sp. nov. is a small (cell body length between 3.0 and 4.4 mum) protist possessing two axial cell appendages and two characteristic lateral arms which perform almost continual rowing movements. Its morphology is unlike that of any other higher order taxon. Therefore, the new genus was classified as Protista incertae sedis.