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).

Chanterelle project

Cantharellus gotzenii was described as occurring in Amani, East Africa in the type description (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.

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 may be able to suspect a population decline in the absence of any clear information.

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.

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).

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 range, ecology and taxonomy.