Xenophyophore

Xenophyophores are giant multinucleate single celled organisms found throughout the world's oceans, at depths of up to 10,641 meters (6.6 miles). They were first described by Henry Bowman Brady in 1883 as primitive Foraminifera, and later they were placed within the sponges. In the beginning of the 20th century they were considered as an independent class of Rhizopoda, and later as a new eukaryotic phylum of Protista. Recent phylogenetic studies suggest that xenophyophores are a specialized group of monothalamous (single-chambered) Foraminifera.