Root of Dictyostelia based on 213 universal proteins

•213 proteins were identified in all dictyostelid major groups and amoebozoan outgroups.•Each protein was low-copy number with >120 aligned positions.•Phylogenetic analyses of these data split Dictyostelia into two major divisions: Groups 1+2 and Groups 3+4.•All possible alternative roots are rejected with p<0.01.•Dictyostelia requires complete revision at the highest taxonomic levels.