Meteora sporadica
| Meteora sporadica | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Genus: | Meteora |
| Species: | M. sporadica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Meteora sporadica Hausmann, Weitere, Wolf & Arndt 2002
| |
Meteora sporadica is a mysterious free-living
protozoan discovered in 2002 during sampling at a depth of 1,230 meters below sea level in the Sporades Basin, part of the Mediterranean Sea. So far it is the only species of the genus Meteora.[1]
It was placed as
Protista incertae sedis due to its unique morphology unlike any other group of protists.[1] Two decades later, a 2022 phylogenetic analysis of Meteora still was not able to solidly relate it to any known group of eukaryotes, suggesting that it could be a new high-level eukaryotic group.[2]
In 2024 it was revealed to be related to Hemimastigophora.[3]
The cell body is colorless and ovular. It ranges between 3.0 and 4.4 µm in length and 2.0–4.0 μm in width. It has two lateral arm-like appendages and two axial appendages. The lateral appendages move independently of each other in a rowing motion.[1]