Search the database

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.

Search Results

410 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-Nasilio 1 14 7 - FLK North MAX 104 - Unknown I upper 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Abundant in layers 5 and above and particularly abundant in layers 3 and 2. Several maxillary specimens found. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Nasilio sp. No
OVPP-Megadermidae 1 19 7 - FLK North MAX 104 - Unknown I upper 3 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Unidentified megadermid. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Chiroptera Megadermidae No
FLK NN I 608 212 6 - FLK NN MAN, CRA, HOR, MAX 1960 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I middle 1, 2, 3 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen was badly cracked and weathered prior to fossilization. Other specimens are found here as well. 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 This specimen was reclassified as Hippotragus gigas by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
Rhino K 068/6655 770 47 - Rhino Korongo R-MAX 104 - Unknown II upper 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 author says this specimen is "probably from upper Bed II". It is pictured in plate 3. 137 - A. Gentry Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Syncerus acoelotus No
M. 18779 1312 39 - MRC R-MAX-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Upper, surface? Jolly, C. J. 1972. The classification and natural history of Theropithecus (Simopithecus)(Andrews, 1916), baboons of the African Plio-Pleistocene: British Museum (Natural History) 146 - C. J. Jolly Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini Theropithecus gelada No
OVPP-Bitis 13 1940 5 - FLK L-MAX 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This specimen is pictured in Plate 1, figures 5-8. 149 - J. C. Rage Yes Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis olduvaiensis Holotype No
OVPP-Elephantulus 4 2850 7 - FLK North MAX-f, M, P 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 5 2851 7 - FLK North MAX-f, M, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 123 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 6 2852 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P 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 7 2853 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P 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. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 8 2854 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 1 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 9 2855 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P, C 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 10 2856 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P, C 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. 150 - Butler and Greenwood 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 11 2857 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P-d, P 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 12 2858 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P-d, P 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 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 18 2864 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P 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 19 2865 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 123 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 20 2866 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P 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 21 2867 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P, C 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 123 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 22 2868 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 123 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 25 2871 7 - FLK North MAX, M 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 26 2872 7 - FLK North MAX, M 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 123 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-Heterocephalus 2 3008 7 - FLK North MAX-f, M, (N=7) 104 - Unknown I upper Denys, C. 1989. A new species of bathyergid rodent from Olduvai Bed I (Tanzania, Lower Pleistocene). Neue Jahrbuecher Geologica Palaeontologica 5:257-264. The author mentions 7 maxillae with associated molars. 147 - C. Denys Yes Mammalia Rodentia Bathyergidae Heterocephalinae Heterocephalus jaegeri No
01. R. L3-95 3121 6 - FLK NN R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I 3 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 1, figure A. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Oenomys olduvaiensis Holotype No
01. R. L3-88 3122 6 - FLK NN R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I 3 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 1, figure A. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Grammomys sp. No
01. R. K-199 3124 5 - FLK R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 2, figures A and B. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Arvicanthis primaevus Holotype No
01. R. K-533 3125 5 - FLK R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 2, figure E. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Aethomys lavocati Holotype No
01. R. M5-222 3126 7 - FLK North R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I 5 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 2, figure C. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Pelomys dietrichi Holotype No
01. R. L2-2 3127 L-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 3, figures A and B. This species is found at FLK NI, layers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6; FLK NNI, layers 1, 2, and 3; FLK I, Zinjanthropus layer. It is unclear where individual specimens come from, however. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Mus petteri Holotype No
01. R. L5-58 3128 7 - FLK North L-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I 5 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 3, figures G and H. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Praomys minor No
01. R. K-120 3129 5 - FLK L-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 1, figure D. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Thallomys quadrilobatus No
01. R. K-314 3130 5 - FLK R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 3, figure D. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Zelotomys leakeyi Holotype No
OH 5 3713 5 - FLK 283 - 45 CRA , MAX , M , I , C , P 17 July - 6 August 1959 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Middle (Zinj.) 22 feet below the upper limit of Bed I (Tuff IF), approximately 20 feet above basalt. Leakey, L. S. B. 1959. A new fossil skull from Olduvai. Nature 184:491-493. Holotype. Almost complete cranium. Adolescent. One reconstructed fossil found at House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. Additional pieces from NMK unpublished. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Zinjanthropus boisei Holotype. This specimen was reclassified as Paranthropus boisei by Robinson (1960). No
OH 13 3728 27 - MNK 287 - 88 "Skull Site" MAN , MAX , CRA-f 1963 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Lower Middle IIB 5 feet above chert horizon Paratpye. "This consists of a sub-adult skull, probably female, with the third molars coming into wear. It is represented by the greater part of the mandible, including the complete dentition, although the crowns of the incisors are damaged and the left ascending ram us is not preserved; the greater part of the maxillae, represented by two fragments both lacking the anterior portions; the greater part of the occipital; the right parietal and temporal; parts of the left parietal and temporal; together with a few frontal fragments and approximately fifty additional pieces which it has not been possible to fit together" (Leakey MD, 1971:231). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 5 pieces found at House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Paratype No
OH 65 3780 82 - 64 MAX , TOOTH 1995 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania I Middle/Upper 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. Author describes specimen as "complete maxilla with all teeth and lower face of adult". Specimen is pictured in images 1-11. (Images from R. Clarke 2011). Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Large habilis No
OVPP-Papio 1 26 SKULL, CRA, MAX 1913 104 - Unknown II Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. The assignment to Bed 2 is based on the author's analysis though he does not seem certain. The skull is from a juvenile. 131 - A. Remane 1925 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini Papio sp. No