Assessment Notes

Justification

Cantharellus gotzenii is a poorly known chanterelle of East Africa. Its type description appears to have been collected from the Usamabara Mountains in Tanzania, a biodiversity hotspot that contains multiple endemic species. Therefore, despite there not being any additional records for this species, it is suspected that it is endemic to these mountains. This would give it an extent of occurrence of 4,528 km². Forest habitat within these mountains is in decline, and the number of locations is estimated to be fewer than five. Thus C. gotzenii is assessed as Endangered B1ab(iii).

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Geographic range

Cantharellus gotzenii was described in the type description as occurring in Amani, East Africa (Eichelbaum 1906). With no further records, it is difficult to get a clear idea of the full distribution of this species. However, it is assumed that Amani might refer to what is now the Amani Nature Reserve in Tanzania. This is located in the Usambara Mountains which are a biodiversity hotspot containing multiple endemic species. Therefore, a very precautionary approach is taken here, to treat this taxon as endemic to these mountains. This would give the species an extent of occurrence of 4,528 km², with fewer than five locations based on the ongoing threats in the area.

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Population and Trends

With so little information available on this species it is not possible to estimate the population size. Ongoing threats are occurring within the Usambara Mountains, so we suspect a population decline in the absence of any clear information.

Population Trend: Decreasing

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Habitat and Ecology

The specific ecological requirements of this species are unknown, but as the Usambara Mountains are an area of montane forest, it is assumed that this would be the habitat of Cantharellus gotzenii.

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Threats

Key threats in the Usambara Mountains include land conversion for agriculture and plantations, in addition to small-scale logging and forest fires (see BirdLife International 2016).

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Conservation Actions

Ensuring effective protection of existing protected areas within the Usambara Mountains could prove to be important for this species, if it is shown to be endemic to this hotspot. Research is needed to relocate this species, and to investigate its full distribution range, ecology and taxonomy.

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Source and Citation

Westrip, J.R.S. 2025. Cantharellus gotzenii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025: e.T271993122A271994196. Accessed on 22 November 2025.

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• Country occurrence