CODI ID The CODI # is a unique specimen number given to every specimen record in the database to standardize the numbering of fossils recovered from Olduvai Gorge. Numbers are assigned based on the order they were input into the database. CODI Specimen numbers are not contained in the specimens’ repository catalogue; they are only relevant to this database.
Specimen # The Specimen # is the official number assigned to a specimen by its respective repository or by the scientist who originally collected it.
If a specimen number is not provided, or if it could not be accurately determined from pictures of the specimen, the specimen number is labeled “OVPP ‘Taxon’ #” where “OVPP”, indicates that we have created this specimen number and the “taxon” placeholder contains the genus or next most specific classification as provided by the original author(s). The “#” placeholder represents the order in which a specimen was entered into the database relative to other specimens of similar taxonomy that also lack original specimen numbers.
When an author only refers to several similar specimens without specifying specimen numbers, only one unique CODI and Specimen number were entered. See the CODI User's Manual for more detail on this data field.
Arch. Locality BK BK E Bos K CK CMK Dalmatian K DC Dik Dik Hill 1986 DK DK (?) DK E DK W DKS EF-HR EHK Elephant Korongo FC FC S FC W FK W FLK FLK (?) FLK Maiko Gully FLK NN FLK North FLK NW FLK S FLK W GC GHJK GHTK GRC GRC S GRK GRK S GTC HEB E HEB G HEK HK Hoopoe Gully HWK HWK Castle HWK E HWK E (?) HWK EE HWK W JK JK 1 JK 2 JK Cliff JK IV JK W JKE S JLK Kar. K Kit. K KK LK LLK Long K E Long K West MCK MJTK MK MLK MNK MNK Main MNK Skull MRC MRK S MTK MUK NGC NGI PDK PLK Rhino Korongo RK SC SHK SHK (?) SHK E SHK S SHK SS SHK W SLK STC SWK THC THC S TK TK Fish Gully VEK VEK S VEK/MNK VFK WK WK E This refers to an archaeological locality. These localities were named by the excavator, primarily from the work of Mary Leakey. Archaeological locality is only included if the author provided this information or if it was indicated in the specimen number or written on the photographed specimen.
Geo. Locality 11 13 14 19A 23 36 39 44 45 46 5 54 63 64 86 88 88 "Skull Site" 89 9 94 95 95 A The geological locality is the locality described in geological studies. Most of the geological localities are described by Hay (1976). This field is usually blank except when an author describes a fossil from a geological survey.
Research Team COP Hopwood Leakey family expedition OLAPP OVPP Proyecto Olduvai Reck expedition This section refers to the research team or expedition responsible for discovering the specimen. Museum specimens include this information when it is clearly documented or written on the specimen
Elements Preserved This section describes the skeletal elements that have been preserved for the specimen. If an author did not describe what elements were recovered, the abbreviation “UK” (unknown) was used. See the Preserved Elements Abbreviation Key under the CODI User's Manual drop-down menu for details.
Taxonomic Authority
For specimens entered from the literature, these designations are based on the detail provided by the author at the time of initial publication. For other specimens, , taxonomic designations for tribe and higher are from McKenna and Bell (1997). Entries for museum specimens are entered according to the associated curatorial information, when available. Some taxa have since been reclassified. When available, the original scientific classification for each specimen was always used even if it is currently incorrect. See the CODI User's Manual for more detail on this data field.
Taxonomic Problem No Unknown Yes This field indicates whether or not there is a problem in taxonomic identification. Note that the vast majority of taxonomic identifications below the level of the Family do not incorporate recent reassessments. Users are advised to search by Family as their lowest taxonomic distinction in order to encompass out-of-date taxonomic assignments.
Taxonomic Notes Any additional information about the taxonomy are provided in this section. This section is where type species, including both holotypes and paratypes, are noted. This field also indicates if a particular specimen has had known taxonomic reclassification since its original publication and gives information on the author who has reclassified it. Please note that we do not actively search out such updates. We advise you to assume that these are out of date.
Curatorial Notes This field allows for additional information regarding the specimens recovered. It may include more detailed information about elements preserved or other information given by the author who described the specimen.
Excavation Date This is the year when the specimen was excavated or recovered. For specimens entered from the literature, this is entered if the excavation date was provided by the author or indicated in the specimen number (e.g., HWK 1960.58). Museum specimens include this information when it is clearly documented or written on the specimen.
Repository Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (BSPG), Munich, Germany Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (BSPG), Munich, Germany(?) BSPG, Munich, Germany(?)/ NHM UK(?) Germany Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany (?) National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania National Natural History Museum, Naturalis, Leiden, The Netherlands (RMNH) Natural History Museum UK Natural History Museum UK (?) Olduvai Gorge Museum? University of California Museum of Paleontology University of California Museum of Paleontology (?) Unknown Unknown? Germany? Netherlands? This field describes the museum or other collection where a specimen is housed. The repository is designated as “Unknown” if the author did not provide information on where the specimen is housed. A question mark will follow all named repositories until a member of the CODI team has verified the specimen’s location.
Bed This is the geologic bed from which the specimen was recovered. This information was only included if the author explicitly stated the bed from which the specimen was recovered or if the bed was given in the Specimen # provided by the author (eg. FLK N I 7555 is a specimen of Antidorcas from bed I). See the CODI User's Manual for more detail on this data field.
Level This describes the level within the Bed from which the specimen was recovered. It can be upper, middle, or lower. See the CODI User's Manual for more detail on this data field.
In Situ No Unknown Yes This field describes whether the specimen was found in situ or on the surface. "U" stands for unknown and usually refers to the fact that the original author did not explicitly state whether or not the specimen was excavated or found on the surface. See the CODI User's Manual for more detail on this data field.
Sediment or Matrix Adhering This indicates whether the specimen that was recovered on the surface was found with matrix adhering to it. Such matrices may give indication as to the bed, level, and layer from which the specimen was originally recovered. This information is provided only if the author explicitly states that there was sediment or matrix adhering to the specimen upon recovery.
Stratigraphic Horizon This describes the layer within the bed from which the specimen was recovered (eg. the Zinjanthropus (22) layer at site FLK). See the CODI User's Manual for more detail on this data field.
Bibliographic Information “Discovered by an Earthwatch project led by F.T. Masao in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and will be described elsewhere.” -R. Clarke (2011) Aramendi, J., Uribelarrea, D., Arriaza, M. C., Arráiz, H., Barboni, D., Yravedra, J., … & Domínguez-Rodrigo, M. (2017). The paleoecology and taphonomy of AMK (Bed I, Olduvai Gorge) and its contributions to the understanding of the “Zinj” paleolandscape. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. Arcos, S., Sevilla, P., and Fernandez-Jalvo, Y. 2010. Preliminary small mammal taphonomy of FLK NW level 20 (Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania). Quarternary Research 74:405-410. Auffenberg, W. 1981. The fossil turtles of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Africa. Copeia 1981:509-522. Bishop, L. C. 2010. Suoidea. Werdelin, L., Sanders, W. J., eds. In: Cenozoic Mammals of Africa. London: University of California Press. pp. 821-842. Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:33. Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:40. Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:41. Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:53. Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:56? Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:56. Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:57. Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:60. Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:61. Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:62. Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:63. Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:64. Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:8-104. Blumenschine, R. J., Peters, C. R., Masao, F. T., et al. 2003. Late Pliocene Homo and Hominid Land Use from Western Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Science 299, 1217-1221. Brodkorb P, Mourer-Chauviré C. 1984. A new species of cormorant (Aves: Phalacrocoracidae) from the Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania). Geobios 15(4):505-515. Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré C. 1982. Fossil Anhingas (Aves: Anhingidae) from early man sites of Hadar and Omo (Ethiopia) and Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania). Geobios 15: 505-515 Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1984. Fossil owls from early man sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich; Journal of African Ornithology 55:17-27. Butler, P. M., 1965. Fossil Mammals of Africa No. 18. East African Miocene and Pleistocene Chalicotheres. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) (Geology), 10: 163-23. Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1973. The early Pleistocene hedgehogs from Olduvai, Tanzania. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:7-42. Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1976. Elephant-shrews (Macroscelididae) from Olduvai and Makapansgat. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 4. pp. 1-56. Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. Churcher, C. S. 1982. Oldest ass recovered from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, and the origin of asses. Clarke, R.J. Published online 4 May 2012. A Homo habilis maxilla and other newly-discovered hominid fossils from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Olduvai Special issue, JHE Clarke, R.J. Published online 4 May 2012. A Homo habilis maxilla and other newly-discovered hominid fossils from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Olduvai Special issue, JHE Davis, P. R. 1964. Hominid fossils from Bed I, Olduvai Gorge, Tanganyika. A tibia and fibula. Nature. 201, 967. Day MH and Napier JR. 1964. Hominid fossils from Bed I, Olduvai Gorge, Tanganyika. Fossil foot bones. Nature 201:967-970. Day, MH. 1969. Femoral Fragment of a Robust Australopithecine from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Nature. 22: 230-233. Denys, C. 1989. A new species of bathyergid rodent from Olduvai Bed I (Tanzania, Lower Pleistocene). Neue Jahrbuecher Geologica Palaeontologica 5:257-264. Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Denys, C. 1989. Two new gerbillids (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Denys, C. 1990. First occurrence of Xerus cf. inauris. Palaont. Z. 64: 359 Dietrich, 1933? Dietrich, W.O. 1937. Pleistoz Domínguez-Rodrigo M, et al. 2013. First Partial Skeleton of a 1.34-Million-Year-Old Paranthropus boisei from Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. PLoS ONE 8(12): e80347. Dominguez-Rodrigo, M., Pickering, T.R., Diez-Martinm, F. et al. (2012) Earliest Porotic Hyperostosis on a 1.5-Million-Year-Old Hominin, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. PLoS ONE 7(10): e46414. doi:10.1371/jou Gentry, A. W. 1966 Fossil Antilopini of East Africa. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History, Geology. 12: 43-106. 9 pls. Gentry, A. W. 1967. Pelorovis oldowayensis Reck, an extinct bovid from East Africa: British Museum. pp. 245-299 Gentry, A. W., and Gentry, A. 1978. Fossil Bovidae (Mammalia) of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Part I. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History): Geology 29:289-446. Gentry, A., and Gentry, A. 1969. Fossil camels in Kenya and Tanzania. Nature 222:898. Gentry, A., Gentry, A., and Mayr, H. 1995. Rediscovery of fossil antelope holotypes (Mammalia, Bovidae) collected from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, in 1913. Bayerische Staatssammlung fur Palaontologie und Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. Haarhoff, P.J. 1993. Latest Pliocene mousebirds (Aves, Coliidae) from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ann S Afr Mus. 103:191–211. Hans-Reck. 1913, Oldoway-Expedition Monograph; LSB Leakey 18 March 1933 Harris JM, White TD. 1979. Evolution of the Plio-Pleistocene African Suidae. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society. 69:1-128. Harris, J. M., Solounias, N., and Geraads, D. 2010. Giraffoidea. Werdelin, L., Sanders, W. J., eds. In: Cenozoic Mammals of Africa. London: University of California Press. pp. 393-428. Harrison CJO, Walker CA. 1979. A recent and an extinct cormorant species from the Middle Pleistocene of Tanzania. Ostrich 50(3):182-183. Heberer G. 1963. Über einen neuen archanthropinin Typus aus der Oldoway Schlucht. Zeitschrift für Morphologie und Anthropologie. 53:171-177. Hlusko, L. J., Reiner, W. B., & Njau, J. K. (2015). A one‐million‐year‐old hominid distal ulna from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. American journal of physical anthropology, 158(1), 36-42. Hooijer DA. 1975. Miocene to Pleistocene Hipparions of Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Zoologische Verhandelingen. 142:1-80. Hopwood, 1937 p.117, pl. 7. Hopwood, A. 1934. New fossil mammals from Olduvai, Tanganyika territory. Annals of the Magazine of Natural History. 10: 546-550. Jaeger, J.J. 1976. Les rongeurs (Mammalia, Rodentia) du Pleistocene inferieur d’Olduvai Bed I (Tanzanie) 1ere Partie: Les Murides. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 4:58-120. Johanson, D. C., Masao, F. T., Eck, G. G., White, T. D., Walter, R. C., Kimbel, W. H., Asfaw,B., Manega, P. C., Ndessokia, P. & Suwa, G. (1987). New partial skeleton of HomoJohanson, D.C., Masao Jolly, C. J. 1972. The classification and natural history of Theropithecus (Simopithecus)(Andrews, 1916), baboons of the African Plio-Pleistocene: British Museum (Natural History) Jolly, C.J. 1965. Origins and specialization of the long-faced Cercopithecoidea. PhD thesis, University of London. Kappelman J. 1986. Plio-Pleistocene marine-continental correlation using habitat indicators from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Quaternary Research 25(2):141-149. Leakey and Whitworth, 1958. ? Mem. Mus. Occ. pap. No. 6. Leakey LSB. 1960. Recent Discoveries at Olduvai Gorge. Nature 188, 1050-1052. Leakey LSB. 1961. The juvenile mandible from Olduvai. Nature. 191(4786):417-418. Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Leakey LSB. 1966. Homo habilis, Homo erectus and the Australopithecines. Nature, 209(5030), 1279–1281. Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Leakey MG and Leakey REF. 1973. New large Pleistocene colobinae (Mammalia, Primates) from East Africa. Fossil Vertebrates of Africa Vol. 3, 121-38. Leakey, L. S. B. 1959. A new fossil skull from Olduvai. Nature 184:491-493. Leakey, L., and Leakey, M. 1964. Recent discoveries of fossil hominids in tanganyika: at Olduvai and near Lake Natron. Nature 202:5-7. Leakey, L., and Whitworth, T. 1958. Notes on the genus Simopithecus, with a description of a new species from Olduvai. Leakey, L.S.B., Tobias, P.V. & Napier, J.R. 1964. A new species of the genus Homo from Olduvai Gorge. Nature 202(4927): 7-9. Leakey, LSB, 1951. Olduvai Gorge: a report on the evolution of the handaxe culture in Beds I-IV. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press. Leakey, LSB. 1960. Recent discoveries at Olduvai Gorge. Nature 188:1050-1052. Leakey, LSB. 1961. New finds at Olduvai Gorge. Nature 189: 649-650. Leakey, M. G. 1982. Extinct large colobines from the Plio-Pleistocene of Africa. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 58:153-172. Leakey, M. G., and Leakey, R. E. F. 1973. Pleistocene Colobinae from East Africa. Leakey, L. S. B., Savage, R. J. G., Coryndon, S. C., eds. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 3. London: Academic Pr Leakey, M., and Leakey, R. 1976. Further Cercopithecinae (Mammalia, Primates) from the Plio/Pleistocene of East Africa. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 4:121-146. Leakey, M.D. 1978. Olduvai fossil hominids:their stratigraphic positions and associations. In: Jolly, CJ, editor. Early hominids of Africa. London:Duckworth. P. 3-16. Lowe PR. 1933. On Some Struthious remains:1. Description of some pelvic remains of a large fossil ostrich, Struthio oldawayi, from the L. Pleistocene of Oldaway (Tanganyika Territory). 75(4): 652-8. LSB Leakey. 1958. Fossil Mammals of Africa: Some East African Pleistocene Suidae. British Museum. No. 14. OLAPP “Discovered by an Earthwatch project led by F.T. Masao in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and will be described elsewhere.” -R. Clarke (2011)/Earthwatch OLAPP/Earthwatch”Discovered by an Earthwatch project led by F.T. Masao in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and will be described elsewhere.” -R. Clarke (2011) Petter G. 1967. Petits carnivores villafranchiens du Bed 1 d’Oldoway (Tanzanie). Problèmes actuels de Paléontologie (Évolution des Vertébrés). 163:529-538. Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Prassack KA. 2014. Landscape distribution and ecology of Plio-Pleistocene avifaunal communities from Lowermost Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Human Evolution. 70:1-15. Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. Reck H. 1937. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Oldoway-Expedition 1913. Berlin: D. Reimer. Reiner, W. B., Masao, F., Sholts, S. B., Songita, A. V., Stanistreet, I., Stollhofen, H., … & Hlusko, L. J. (2017). OH 83: A new early modern human fossil cranium from the Ndutu beds of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. American journal of physical anthropology, 164(3), 533-545. Remane A. 1925. Der Fossile Pavian (Papio Sp.) von Oldoway nebst Bemerkungen über die Gattung Simopithecus. CW Andrews, H Reck (Ed.). In: Wissenschaftliche ergebnisse der Oldoway-Expedition 1913, vol. 2. pp. 83-90. Schwarz E. 1937. Die fossilen Antilopen von Oldoway. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Oldoway-Expedition 1913:25. Schwarz E. 1937. Die fossilen Antilopen von Oldoway. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Oldoway-Expedition 1913:62. Schwarz E. 1937. Die fossilen Antilopen von Oldoway. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Oldoway-Expedition 1913:8-104. Schwarz E. 1937. Die fossilen Antilopen von Oldoway. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Oldoway-Expedition 1913. Tobias, P. 1964. The Olduvai Bed I Hominine with Special Reference to its Cranial Capacity. Nature 202:3-4. Tobias, PV. 1991. The Skulls, endocasts and teeth of Homo habilis. Cambridge: University Press. Von Zieten RRR. 2009. Preliminary report on a new Olduvai hominid from 1968: an Anatomically-Modern-Man from Upper Ndutu Bed. Retrieved from http://www1.uni-hamburg.de/ Wood B. 1992. Origin and evolution of the genus Homo. Nature. 355:783-790. This field provides the reference in which the first description of the specimen occurs or the publication from which we drew the entry. The taxonomy of the specimen may have since been reevaluated. If a specimen has been taxonomically reclassified since its original description and we are aware of it, that information is provided in the Taxonomic notes and comments field. See the CODI User's Manual for more detail on this data field.
ID By A. Gentry A. Remane A.T. Hopwood B. Cooke Butler and Greenwood C. Arambourg C. Denys C. J. Jolly C. S. Churcher E. Schwarz E.E. Williams Greenwood and Todd H. Mukiri H. Reck Harris, Solounias, and Geraads Hofstetter J. C. Rage J. Jaeger L. Bishop L. Hlusko L. Werdelin L.S.B. Leakey Leakey and Leakey M. D. Leakey M. Hilzheimer P. M. Butler R. Bernor W. Auffenberg W. O. Dietrich W. Reiner Wells This indicates the person who made the published identification of the specimen. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the publication or monograph, the author of the reference is credited with identification.
For specimens entered from the literature, this indicates the person who made the published identification of the specimen. Museum specimens include this information when it is clearly documented or written on the specimen. In some cases, researchers have provided information on Olduvai fossils. In this case, the researcher will be listed in this field and/or in the Curatorial Notes field. For OVPP specimens, this indicates the person who identified the specimen when it was discovered. For OVPP-L specimens, this indicated the person who identified the specimen when it was inventoried. See the CODI User's Manual for more detail on this data field.
ID Date