Hi. Initial situation:

(parted) print
Error: /dev/sdc: unrecognised disk label
Model: Kingston DataTraveler 102 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdc: 8007MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: unknown
Disk Flags:

Then on purpose I attempted to execute the following command without creating previously to it a partition table. Its execution shouldn't have been possible since a partition table is required before partitions can be added to a device. Though it was executed.

# mkfs.ext4 -FL 'USB' '/dev/sdc'

As result no partition table is supposed to be created neither possible to be created using above mentioned command. However as result of that execution, Parted reports 'Partition Table: loop'. while expected result would be none.

(parted) print
Model: Kingston DataTraveler 102 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdc: 8007MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop
Disk Flags:

Number  Start  End     Size    File system  Flags
 1      0.00B  8007MB  8007MB  ext4

For comparison Gparted interpretation – Partition Table: none  with an ext4 file system created  – as illustrated in attachment. That is neither practically possible. Regards.