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

Abstract

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 (Dictyostelium longigracilis sp. nov. and Dictyostelium macrosoriobrevipes sp. nov.) were described using morphological characteristics and SSU gene-based phylogenetic analyses. One other species (Polysphondylium patagonicum) was recorded as new for China, while another (Cavenderia aureostipes) was recorded as a new record for Jilin Province. The dictyostelid assemblage in Jilin Province is dominated by the genus Dictyostelium (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.