Meteora sporadica

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]

Meteora sporadica
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Genus:	Meteora
Species:	M. sporadica
Binomial name
Meteora sporadica Hausmann, Weitere, Wolf & Arndt 2002

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 wasn't able to solidly relate it to any known group of eukaryotes, suggesting that it could be a new high-level eukaryotic group.[2]

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]