What's the deal with this O-ring?

[scrappy isb67]

I believe that was put on the cylinder when it was orginally painted at the factory and was designed to keep paint and solvents away from the cyllinder seal itself. They are on every hydraulic cylinder of my Kioti CK20HST. most have simply been knocked off during use. They serve no purpose after the cylinder was painted. Hope that helps.

X3 There is too much paint on it for it to be anything else.