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IMPORTANT NOTE: We have maintained the originally published taxonomic designation for each specimen despite the fact that many of these specimens have been reclassified since.  We chose to follow this protocol because of the difficulty in keeping up to date with all of the taxonomic groups, and our hesitancy to make a judgement call on taxonomic debates.  As such, please search the database with this in mind, perhaps using higher level taxonomic classifications for your query.

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645 specimens found
Image Spec # CODI Database ID Arch. Locality Geo. Locality Elements Preserved Excavation Date Repository Bed Level Stratigraphic Horizon Bibliographic Information Curatorial Notes ID By ID Date Research Team In Situ Sediment or Matrix Adhering Class Order Suborder Infraorder Superfamily Family Subfamily Tribe Genus Species Subspecies Taxonomic Notes Taxonomic Problems
OVPP-Bitis 12 1939 RIB 104 - Unknown I Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. Several ribs are present. It is unclear how many individuals are present. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis No
OVPP-Geochelone 3 3108 24 - DK PERI-f 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I Auffenberg, W. 1981. The fossil turtles of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Africa. Copeia 1981:509-522. Original information indicated that this specimen was located in Nairobi. This specimen is likely within the material that was repatriated to Dar in 2011, but this has yet to be confirmed. 152 - W. Auffenberg 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Reptilia Testudines Cryptodira Testidinoidea Testudinidae Geochelone pardalis The author mentions there are over 3,000 fossilized turtle fragments from Olduvai Gorge, 98% of which are from the species Pelusios sinuatus. However, it is unclear which specimens belong to which species based on the description given. When it was unclear, the specimen is only referred to as belonging to the Order Testudines. No
MW 49/136 3110 PERI-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) Auffenberg, W. 1981. The fossil turtles of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Africa. Copeia 1981:509-522. 152 - W. Auffenberg Unknown Reptilia Testudines Cryptodira Testidinoidea Testudinidae Geochelone pardalis The author mentions there are over 3,000 fossilized turtle fragments from Olduvai Gorge, 98% of which are from the species Pelusios sinuatus. However, it is unclear which specimens belong to which species based on the description given. When it was unclear, the specimen is only referred to as belonging to the Order Testudines. No
MW 49/136 6877 PERI-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) Auffenberg, W. 1981. The fossil turtles of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Africa. Copeia 1981:509-522. 152 - W. Auffenberg Unknown Reptilia Testudines Cryptodira Testidinoidea Testudinidae Geochelone pardalis The author mentions there are over 3,000 fossilized turtle fragments from Olduvai Gorge, 98% of which are from the species Pelusios sinuatus. However, it is unclear which specimens belong to which species based on the description given. When it was unclear, the specimen is only referred to as belonging to the Order Testudines. No
M. 17073 10386 An isolated lower canine tooth. 1953 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II B.K.II LSB Leakey. 1958. Fossil Mammals of Africa: Some East African Pleistocene Suidae. British Museum. No. 14. Brit. Mus. Palaeont. Dept. Marked Old. B.K.II, 1953/443 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 1958 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suina Suoidea Suoidea Suidae Potamochoerus majus Yes
COP-12-122 9706 MAN-f, L/R-I, L/R-C-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Upper -- Mandibular symphysis with left and right I1 and left I2 erupting, left and right canine roots present and alveolus for left P1. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/23 254 - COP Unknown Y Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae No
OVPP-498 9868 I-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Upper Below Tuff 1B. -- Fragment of incisor. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/26 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae No
OVPP-499 9869 SKULL, AXIS, CER, PHX, HUM-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Lower 2 meters below Tuff 1A. -- Skull with associated post-crania. Pieces labeled A through P. A = cranium, B= right mandible fragment, C= left mandible fragment, D= right mandibular symphysis through P4, E= left mandibular symphysis, F-J= teeth, K= axis, L-M+ cervical vertebrae, O= intermediate phalanx, P= distal humerus. Two additional bags of bones and bone fragments that were found at OVPP-499 locality with carnivore breakage and tooth marks. 157 - L. Hlusko 253 - OVPP Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae No
OVPP-619 9992 I 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Lower Surface 4m below Tuff IB; sandy calcareous clays. -- 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/07/02 253 - OVPP No Suidae No
M. 14682 10382 Part of a left mandibular ramus with P3-M1 and the alveolus for P2. 1934 114 - Natural History Museum UK IV upper part, Middle Pleistocene Kanjeran Pluvial LSB Leakey. 1958. Fossil Mammals of Africa: Some East African Pleistocene Suidae. British Museum. No. 14. 1934 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Potamochoerus majus Holotype. Originally classified as Koiropotamus majus (Hopwood, 1934). Reclassified as Potamochoerus majus (Leakey, 1942). Unknown
M. 14683 10383 Two upper tusks, probably of the same individual. 1934 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I lower part, Middle Pleistocene Kamasian Pluvial LSB Leakey. 1958. Fossil Mammals of Africa: Some East African Pleistocene Suidae. British Museum. No. 14. British Museum Palaeontology Department 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 1942 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Potamochoerus majus Paratypes. Originally classified as Koiropotamus majus (Hopwood, 1934). Reclassified as Potamochoerus majus (Leakey, 1942). Yes
M. 17071 10384 The greater part of a mandible. 1953 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Chellean I Living Site LSB Leakey. 1958. Fossil Mammals of Africa: Some East African Pleistocene Suidae. British Museum. No. 14. marked Old. B.K.II, 1953/454; Brit. Mus. Palaeont. Dept. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 1958 Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Potamochoerus majus Yes
M. 17074 10385 A fragment of mandible with a well preserved lower third molar 1935 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I top of Bed I F.L.K. LSB Leakey. 1958. Fossil Mammals of Africa: Some East African Pleistocene Suidae. British Museum. No. 14. Brit. Mus. Palaeont. Dept. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 1958 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suina Suoidea Suidae Potamochoerus majus Yes
M. 17112 10387 An upper third molar in a fragment of maxilla. 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II F.L.K. Brit. Mus. Palaeont. Dept. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 1958 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suina Suoidea Suidae Suidae Potamochoerus majus Yes
M. 17090 10388 A broken fragment of the left side of a mandible with damaged first molar, but with second and third molars intact. 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Kamasian Pluvial LSB Leakey. 1958. Fossil Mammals of Africa: Some East African Pleistocene Suidae. British Museum. No. 14. Holotype. Formerly Coryndon Museum No. F. 3666. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 1942 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suina Suoidea Suidae Suinae Suini Mesochoerus olduvaiensis Yes
G. 356 102 5 - FLK MAN, L/R-P, L/R-M, L/R-C, L/R-I 1960 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in plate 23. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Suinae Suini Promesochoerus mukiri Holotype No
OVPP-13 7691 MAN-f, M, I 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Less than 0.5 meters above Bed I lava. -- In matrix, fragments; needs preparation. Possibly associated postcranial specimens. 157 - L. Hlusko 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae No
OVPP-51 7729 MAN, M, I 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Lower Claystone interbedded with sandstone; concretions coming from sandstone above claystone; one meter above Tuff IB. -- Complete suid mandible in sandstone concretion. Needs significant preparation. Visible teeth unobscured by concretion are right and left central incisors and portion of left M3. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/6/28 253 - OVPP No Y Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae No
OLD-916 11814 I 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-916 Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Suidae Yes
OLD-325 11872 I 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-325 Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Suidae Yes
OLD-822 12916 27 - MNK I (2), MAX-f 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-822; "OLDOWAY MNK 6.5.35." Unknown two incisors with maxillary fragment adhering Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae No
OLD-911 12958 I (2), TOOTH 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-911; juvenile; 2 incisors and one other tooth, possibly premolar Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suina Suoidea Suidae No
OLD-924 12960 313 - GRK L-MAN-f, I (2) 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-924; L-MAN-f with symphysis and I1-2; GRK II 8.5.35 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suina Suoidea Suidae Kolpochoerus olduvaiensis No
OLD 15776 10162 6 - FLK NN L-FIB I Layer 3 scree Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1984. Fossil owls from early man sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich; Journal of African Ornithology 55:17-27. PARATYPE. "Paratypes: The following specimens are from layer 3 of locality FLK NNI and can be attributed to the same individual as the holotype: 15740, premaxillae; 3301, lower part of right coracoid. 15364 and 15473, proximal and distal parts of left femur; 16377, distal part of right femur; 15701, distal part of left tibiotarsus; 15776, left fibula; 16262, proximal part of right tarsometatarsus; 15730, distal part of left tarsometatarsus; 15942, 15946, 16050, 16171, 16174, 16176 to 16180, pedal phalanges. Place of conservation of the material: The fossils are currently on deposit at the University of Florida, Department of Zoology, and will later be returned to Tanzania" (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1984:17, 19). Image notes: (Scale = 2 cm) A-B: Left coracoid, holotype, OLD 15802, FLK NNI, layer 3, A anterior face, B posterior face. C: Right tarsometatarsus, proximal part, paratype, OLD 16262, FLK NNI, scree, anterior face. D: Left tarsometatarsus, distal part, paratype, OLD 15730, FLK NNI, layer 3, anterior face. E-F: Left femur, proximal half, paratype, OLD 15364, FLK NNI, layer 2+3, E anterior face, F Posterior face. G-H: Left femur, distal part, paratype, OLD 15473, FLK NNI, layer 3, G anterior face, H posterior face. I: Left tarsometatarsus, almost complete, OLD 11574, FLK NI, layer 1, anterior face. J-K: Left femur, lacking the distal part, OLD 11586, FLK NI, layer 2, J anterior face, K posterior face. Unknown Aves Strigiformes Strigidae Bubo leakeyae No
OLD-206 11785 TIB 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-206 Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae Yes
OLD-242 12228 TIB 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-242 Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae Yes
OLD-94 12281 TIB 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-94 Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae Yes
OLD-92 12285 TIB 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-92; tibia distal end Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae Yes
OLD-90 12954 40 - JK TIB 114 - Natural History Museum UK IV -- OLD-90 Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae No
OLD-152b 13250 PIS 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-152b Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae No
UCMP 42071 12809 DIST HUM 276 - University of California Museum of Paleontology 1948 Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Arctoidea Mustelidae Yes
OVPP-Muridae 1 35 5 - FLK P, M, I, C, MAN, MAX 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several unidentified murids 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
OVPP-Muridae 2 37 6 - FLK NN P, M, I, C 104 - Unknown I middle 1 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
OVPP-Muridae 3 38 6 - FLK NN P, M, I, C 104 - Unknown I middle 2, 3 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several specimens of unidentified murids. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
OVPP-Muridae 4 40 7 - FLK North P, M, I, C 104 - Unknown I upper 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several specimens of unidentified murids are present. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae The author is unsure of the taxonomy. No
OVPP-Elephantulus 16 2862 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P, I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 5 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1976. Elephant-shrews (Macroscelididae) from Olduvai and Makapansgat. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 4. pp. 1-56. 150 - Butler and Greenwood 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 23 2869 7 - FLK North MAX, P, I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 5 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1976. Elephant-shrews (Macroscelididae) from Olduvai and Makapansgat. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 4. pp. 1-56. 150 - Butler and Greenwood 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 24 2870 7 - FLK North MAX, P, C, I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1976. Elephant-shrews (Macroscelididae) from Olduvai and Makapansgat. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 4. pp. 1-56. 150 - Butler and Greenwood 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 27 2873 7 - FLK North MAX, P, I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1976. Elephant-shrews (Macroscelididae) from Olduvai and Makapansgat. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 4. pp. 1-56. 150 - Butler and Greenwood 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 28 2874 7 - FLK North MAN-f, P-d, P, C-d, I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 2 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1976. Elephant-shrews (Macroscelididae) from Olduvai and Makapansgat. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 4. pp. 1-56. The incisor is unerupted. 150 - Butler and Greenwood 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No