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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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1334 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
7577 3928 L-MAN, C, P, (n=3), M Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is mandible with C-M1. Author lists specimen in an assemblage that is described as coming from FLK N, FLK NN, KK, BK, and DK but does not specifically assign site. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Hyaenidae Hyaeninae Crocuta crocuta ultra No
8397 3936 L-CUB I/II Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Author lists specimen in an assemblage that is described as coming from FLK N, FLK NN, KK, BK, and DK but does not specifically assign site. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Hyaenidae Hyaeninae Crocuta crocuta ultra No
OH 69 3784 80 - MCK L-P 2002 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania II Lower Lower P4. Specimen is pictured on left in image 1. Specimen is pictured on left in image 2. Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis sunsu lato No
OH 73 3788 81 - HWK W L-P 2006 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania I Upper Surface. 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 Left P3. Specimen is pictured third from the left bottom in image 1. Specimen is shown on left in image 2. No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis sensu stricto No
VI-306 3917 L-HOR 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 Attached to VII-1111 holotype cranium. Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Connochaetes taurinus semiticus Recognized by Andrea Gentry to fit into the holotype crania of R. semiticus (VI-1111), this they propose that No
MJTK II 1962.068/6652 901 52 - MJTK R/L-HOR-f, CRA-f, M, I 1962 104 - Unknown II 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. The incisor may be a canine. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Connochaetes taurinus olduvaiensis No
MNK II 2716 902 27 - MNK L-HOR-f 104 - Unknown II 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 16, figure 1. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Connochaetes taurinus olduvaiensis The authors suggest this specimen may be from C. taurinus and if so, would be the earliest of this subspecies at Olduvai. No
FLK I C.067/1083 704 5 - FLK L-M, L-PAL 104 - Unknown I 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 1, figure 2. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Tragelaphini Tragelaphus strepsiceros maryanus No
M. 21483 709 L-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) 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. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Tragelaphini Tragelaphus strepsiceros maryanus No
M. 21485 710 L-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) 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. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Tragelaphini Tragelaphus strepsiceros maryanus No
M. 21476 724 L-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) 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. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Tragelaphini Tragelaphus strepsiceros grandis the authors sugges this specimen "could be" placed in Tragelaphus stresiceros grandis. No
M. 21477 725 10 - BK L-HOR-f 1935 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) IV 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. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Tragelaphini Tragelaphus strepsiceros grandis No
FLK I/E-G 393 4 5 - FLK L-RAM, L-P, L-M 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. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Strepsirrhini Lorisiformes Galagidae Galago senegalensis No
1273/1957 57 MAN, L/R-P, L-C, L/R-M 1957 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) II Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. The author alludes to a skull and mandible that had not yet been described at the time of publication in 1965. 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. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Felidae Pantherinae Panthera indet. No
OVPP-Herpestinae 1 70 7 - FLK North L-P 104 - Unknown I upper 1 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. A few isolated teeth perhaps belonging to the subfamily Herpestinae. Only the pre-molar is mentioned directly. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Author placed this taxon in Family Viverridae, but the specimen "perhaps" belongs to the subfamily Herpestinae. No
OVPP-Civettictis 3 86 6 - FLK NN L-MAN, L-d-P, L-P 104 - Unknown I middle 2, 3 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 Yes Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Viverridae Civettictis sp. No
OVPP-Protocyon 1 87 6 - FLK NN MAN, RAM-f, L-P, L-M 104 - Unknown I middle 3 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 133 - L. Werdelin 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Prototocyon recki No
OVPP-Genetta 4 89 6 - FLK NN L-MAN, L-P, L-d-P 104 - Unknown I middle 3 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 Yes Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Viverridae Viverrinae Genetta No
M. 21461 118 13 - RK CRA, R/L-HOR, R-I, R-P, R-M 1931 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II upper Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in plates 38 and 39. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Strepsicerotini Strepsiceros grandis Holotype. Gentry and Gentry (1978) reclassified this specimen as Tragelaphus strepsiceros grandis. No
F. 3665 P.P.T. 4 124 16 - LK CRA, L-HOR-f, R-HOR 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) IV Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Face and maxillae are missing. The holotype is pictured in plates 43 and 44. It was found on the surface between RK and LK. This eland is poorly represented at Olduvai. 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. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Taurotragini Taurotragus arkelli Holotype No
M. 14948 126 CRA-f, L-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II 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 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Bularchus arok Paratype - Gentry and Gentry (1978a) renamed this specimen as P. oldowayensis. No
OVPP-Gorgon 1 130 L-FRO, L-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is in the BMNH collections but a specimen number is not given. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Gorgon olduvaiensis No
F. 3662 068/5812 P.P.T.2 138 CRA-f, L-HOR, R-HOR-f 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) II Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in plates 56 and 58. The adhering matrix suggests this specimen must come from above the Lemuta member. 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. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas Holotype No
M. 21450 145 10 - BK L-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II 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 Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus niger This specimen was reclassified by Gentry and Gentry (1978) as Damaliscus niro. No
M. 14530 148 L-HOR-f 1932 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition No Matrix adhering suggests it may have come from Bed 2. Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus equinus This specimen was reclassified by Gentry and Gentry (1978) as Hippotragus gigas. No
G. 390 151 5 - FLK L-HOR, L-FRLT, FRO 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 62. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Oryx indet. This specimen was reclassified by Gentry and Gentry (1978) as Oryx gazella. No
Ba. 126/1960 166 5 - FLK FRLT, R-HOR, L-HOR-f 1960 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I middle Zinjanthropus (22 feet below the upper limit of bed I) layer and upper layers. Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in plate 72. 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. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Parmularius altidens No
FLK N I 1410 172 7 - FLK North L-HOR 104 - Unknown I upper 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 Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Parmularius altidens No
M. 14950 177 22 - SC FRLT, L-HOR, R-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II upper Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in plate 79 of Leakey (1965). 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Antidorcas kattwinkelli Holotype - This specimen was reclassified by Gentry and Gentry (1978) as Megalotragus kattwinkeli. No
M. 21446 179 L-HOR-f, CRA-f 1935 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I Upper Villafranchian Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in plate 80. Additional specimens have been found at FLK N I. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Beatragus antiquus Paratype No
M. 21447 181 23 - TK CRA, L/R-MAX-f, L-HOR, L/R-P, L/R-M, L/R-I 1931 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) III, IV 4 feet below Masek Beds Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This neotype specimen is pictured in plates 81 and 82. The original holotype of M. kattwinkelli (VI-1099) was lost in WWII in Munich. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Xenocephalus kattwinkelli Neotype - This specimen was reclassified by Gentry and Gentry (1978) as Megalotragus kattwinkeli. No
M. 21464 184 19 - SHK CRA, R-HOR, L-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. It is also pictured in plate 5 C, D of Gentry (1966) where it is labeled as Phenacotragus recki. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella This specimen was reclassified by Gentry and Gentry (1978) as Antidorcas recki. No
BK II 1957.662 208 10 - BK L-FRO, L-HOR-f 1957 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) II Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 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. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Aepycerotini Aepyceros indet. This specimen was reclassified as Aepyceros melampus by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
OVPP-Alcelaphini 1 214 10 - BK L-HOR 1960 104 - Unknown II Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several alcelaphine horn cores are mentioned in the monograph. One is shown in plate 92. Gentry and Gentry say this specimen is of "Type B" variety. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Indet. This specimen was reclassified as Damaliscus niro by Gentry and Gentry (1978). this is of the Type B variety according to Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
M. 14688 215 SKULL, L-HOR, M, P 1931 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in plates 93 and 94. It was found in the 1931-1932 field season. The locality was not provided. 293 - A.T. Hopwood 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown "pebbly and consolidated sandy matrix of dark colour" Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Caprinae Caprini Pultiphagonides africanus Holotype - This specimen was reclassified as Connochaetes africanus by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
SHK II 1943.280 221 19 - SHK L-FRLT, L-HOR-f 1952 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) II Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 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. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Caprinae Caprini This specimen was reclassified as an unidentified Alcelaphini by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
SHK II 1957.92 222 19 - SHK L-HOR 1957 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 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. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Caprinae Caprini This specimen was reclassified as an unidentified Alcelaphini by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
FLK I/E-G 394 1 5 - FLK L-RAM, L-P, L-M 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. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Strepsirrhini Lorisiformes Galagidae Galago senegalensis No
M. 17090 253 10 - BK L-MAN-f, M 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II upper Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This holotype was described in a previous monograph (Leakey, 1958). 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Suinae Suini Mesochoerus olduvaiensis Holotype No
MNK II 1963.104 + 106 645 32 - MNK Main SKULL, SKEL-f 104 - Unknown II middle Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Gentry and Gentry (1978a) assigned this specimen to the species level (kob). They give the specimen numbers as follows: skull: 104, 106 mandibles: 107 (R), 108 (L) Maxilla: 103 (R) Altas: 110 Metacarpal: 105 (R) Ulna: 109 (R) Femur: 101 (R) Tibia: 102 (R) Metatarsal: 100 (R) 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Reduncinae Reduncini Kobus Gentry and Gentry (1978) assigned this to the species Kobus kob. No