New Species and Records Expand the Checklist of Cellular Slime Molds (Dictyostelids) in Jilin Province, China.

Dictyostelids represent a crucial element in the protist community, and their abundant presence in Jilin Province underscores their indispensable role in biodiversity conservation. In the present study, a resource survey of dictyostelids used random sampling to collect 28 soil samples from five localities in Changbai Korean Autonomous County, Jilin Province. In addition, a compilation of dictyostelid species reported from Jilin Province was developed, based on a thorough review of the literature. The survey yielded fifteen isolates of dictyostelids, comprising six species from four genera. Notably, two new species ( sp. nov. and sp. nov.) were described using morphological characteristics and SSU gene-based phylogenetic analyses. One other species () was recorded as new for China, while another () was recorded as a new record for Jilin Province. The dictyostelid assemblage in Jilin Province is dominated by the genus (51.4%), with a total of 35 species, which represent 59.3% of the current total known for all of China. These findings provide a scientific basis for the protection of species diversity and resource utilization of dictyostelids in Jilin Province.