A new cyst morphotype from recent sediments of the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Southern Italy, Ionia Sea)

A new flask-shaped cyst, similar to those produced by planktonic ciliates, has been found in March 2000, July 2002, and August 2011 in recent sediments of the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Mediterranean Sea, Southern Italy). Flask-shaped cysts are typical of ciliates of the orders Oligotrichida and Heterotrichida inside the class Polyhymenophorea. The new morphotype here described had a peculiar morphology, showing a smooth surface and a trunc-conical shape. Eight specimens were collected, three of which were incubated, but none germinated to obtain the corresponding active stage.