gefionella gefionella gefionella is a genus of excavate protists belonging to the family malawimonadidae, a basal group in the evolution of eukaryotes. it is a monotypic genus, with only the species gefionella okellyi, described in 2018. the genus is named after the norse goddess gefjon, while the species is named after the scientist charles j. o'kelly, a pioneer in the ultrastructural and phylogenetic investigation of excavate flagellates. gefionella gefionella okellyi light microscopy scientific classification domain: eukaryota phylum: malawimonada class: malawimonadea order: malawimonadida family: malawimonadidae genus: gefionellaheiss, ekelund & simpson 2018 species: g. okellyi binomial name gefionella okellyiheiss, ekelund & simpson 2018 type strain amnh_izc 00267131