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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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201 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-Civettictis 1 84 6 - FLK NN d-M 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-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-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
1931 II 35 8808 CRA, R/d-P, R/d-M, L/d-P, L/d-M 1913 116 - Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (BSPG), Munich, Germany Dietrich, W.O. 1937. Pleistoz Reck Field No.: none. Dietrich 1937:97 states this is probably from Bed IV. Leakey 1965 refers to Koiropotamus as Potamochoerus (Koiropotamus). Museum label notes: juv., female, Horizont 4. Almost complete cranium w R dP4-M1, L P1, L dP4-M1. 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Koiropotamus Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. No
M 103885 12622 39 - MRC R-MAN, d-P (3) 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-447; R-MAN wit d-P2, d-P3, and d-P4; "OLD Y MRC 2 5 10/5/35" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Tragelaphini No
OVPP Tyto 1 10177 6 - FLK NN RAD-f , ULNA-f , CARMET , PHX I Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1984. Fossil owls from early man sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich; Journal of African Ornithology 55:17-27. Authors do not specify specimen numbers. "Radius, 1 proximal and 1 distal part; ulna, 2 distal parts; carpometacarpus, 1 almost complete and l distal part; l phalanx of the wing; tarsometatarsus, 1 distal part and 2 distal fragments; 4 pedal phalanges" (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1984:23). "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, 1984:19). Unknown Aves Strigiformes Strigidae Tyto alba cf. affinis No
OVPP Tyto 2 10178 7 - FLK North RAD-f , ULNA-f , CARMET-f I Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1984. Fossil owls from early man sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich; Journal of African Ornithology 55:17-27. Authors do not specify specimen numbers. "Coracoid, 2 upper parts; ulna, 1 distal part; carpometacarpus, 5 distal parts;tibiotarsus, 1 distal part; tarsometatarsus, 1 proximal and 2 distal parts; 21 pedal phalanges" (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1984:23). "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, 1984:19). Unknown Aves Strigiformes Strigidae Tyto alba cf. affinis No
OVPP Bubo 3 10185 7 - FLK North COR-f , HUM-f , RAD-f , ULNA-f , CARMET-f , FEM-f , TBT , CUNE , PHX I Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1984. Fossil owls from early man sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich; Journal of African Ornithology 55:17-27. Coracoid, 2 upper and 2 lower parts; humerus, 3 distal parts; radius, 2 proximal parts; ulna, 1 distal part; carpometacarpus, 3 proximal parts; femur, 4 proximal parts and 1 distal; tibiotarsus, 3 distal parts; tarsometatarsus, 1 almost complete, 1 proximal and 1 distal parts; 1 ulnare (listed in elements as cuneiform); 20 pedal phalanges. Authors do not specify specimen numbers and refer to these specimens as "referred material". 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). Unknown Aves Strigiformes Strigidae Bubo leakeyae No
OVPP-P-36 13312 L-RAD-f -- OLD-I-S 1941 067-2601 Bed I surface Unknown Carnivora Mustelidae Mellivora Yes
OH 3 3719 10 - BK 280 - 94 d-C , L-d-M 1955 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Upper Upper part of BK channel which cuts into Tuff IID Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. In the first publication of these specimens (Leakey, LSB, 1958), Leakey described the teeth as a deciduous lower canine and a left deciduous upper M2. "This view was not shared by Robinson, von Koenigswald and others, who preferred to regard it as either a permanent or a deciduous upper molar of an australopithecine character" (Leakey, MD, 1970:226). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus Referred to as species boisei in Tobias (Olduvai Gorge volume IV, 1991). No
OH 17 3732 72 - FLK Maiko Gully d-M 1963 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Surface Stream bed of Maiko Gully Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis No
OH 30 3745 72 - FLK Maiko Gully 283 - 45 TOOTH , d-TOOTH , CRA-f , 1969 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Lower Surface "Parts deciduous and germ dentitions" (Leakey MD, 1971:234). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei No
OH 39 3754 37 - HWK EE TOOTH , d-TOOTH 1972 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Upper In fallen block from Upper Bed I. Surface. 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. Upper dentitions: Partial permanent and deciduous dentition. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis No
OH 40 3755 78 - FLK S d-M 1972 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Middle or Lower? Surface. 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. Upper M2, broken. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo sp. No
OH 49 3764 6 - FLK NN RAD-f 1960 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 -- Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis No
OH 51 3766 35 - GTC L-MAND-f, L-P, L-M 1974 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania III Surface. -- Mandible fragment with P4 and M1. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus No
OH 68 3783 18 - VEK Mand-f, R-P-f 2001 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania II Lower Mandible fragment with unerupted P4 and root of M1. Specimen is pictured in the middle in image 1. Specimen is shown in the middle of the top row in image 2. Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus africanus OH 13-like No
OH 80 3796 10 - BK R/L-P , L-M , R/L-I , L-HUM-f , R-RAD-f , R-FEM-f , TIB-f 2009 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II 4 Upper 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. Distal portion of a left humerus diaphysis. Partial right radius with head, proximal metaphysis and partial diaphysis. Right partial femur, diaphysis in three refitting pieces. Tibia midshaft fragment assigned to OH 80 based on close "spatial association, comparable anatomical ruggedness and similar state of preservation to the other OH 80 postcranial fossils" (Dominiguez-Rodrigo et al., 2013). 292 - Proyecto Olduvai Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Australopithecus boisei Anatomically modern No
OVPP-254 7932 d-M 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle -- Mandibular dM1. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/08 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Hippopotamoidea Hippopotamidae No
OVPP-L-188 8339 d-M 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania -- Specimen label: OLD-88-246-1-S. Box #: OLD 88-1-5. 158 - W. Reiner 2012/07/01 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Hippopotamoidea Hippopotamidae No
MB.Ma.40618 9253 d-P 1913 128 - Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany -- Mfn room number: 0026. Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Hippopotamoidea Hippopotamidae Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. No
OLD-167 12457 d-TOOTH 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-167 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Hippopotamidae No
OLD-589 12740 R-MAX-f, M, d-M 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-589; R-MAX-f with M1 and d-M4 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Tethytheria Behemota Elephantoidea Hippopotamidae No
OVPP-Herpestinae 3 78 7 - FLK North R-MAN, R-d-M, R-P 104 - Unknown I upper 4 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 Herpestidae Herpestinae No
OVPP-Herpestinae 4 81 6 - FLK NN R-MAN, R-d-P, R-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 Yes Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae No
OLD 1960 F200 3714 5 - FLK R-MAN-f, d-P, M 1960 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I 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. 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. 155 - Harris, Solounias, and Geraads 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Giraffoidea Giraffidae Giraffinae Giraffini Giraffa pygmaea Paratype No
OVPP-Erinaceus 73 2130 7 - FLK North RAD-f, (n=14) 104 - Unknown I upper 3, 4, 5 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1973. The early Pleistocene hedgehogs from Olduvai, Tanzania. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:7-42. The authors mention 14 proximal ends of radii from layers 3-5 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Erinaceoidea Erinaceidae Erinaceinae Erinaceus broomi No
OVPP-119 7799 d-M 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Popcorn clays 3 meters below OLAPP hippo trench; 5 meters below Tuff 2A. -- Maxillary dM2. 157 - L. Hlusko 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Equidae No
BMNHM25351 9318 L/d-P 129 - National Natural History Museum, Naturalis, Leiden, The Netherlands (RMNH) I -- Deciduous left mandibular P3. 159 - R. Bernor Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Equidae Equinae Hipparionini Eurygnathohippus Inventoried by Ray Bernor. Identified by Bernor as genus Eurygnathohippus. No
BMNHM25522 (1) 9370 L/d-P 129 - National Natural History Museum, Naturalis, Leiden, The Netherlands (RMNH) IV -- Deciduous left mandibular P4. 159 - R. Bernor Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Equidae Equinae Hipparionini Eurygnathohippus Inventoried by Ray Bernor. Identified by Bernor as genus Eurygnathohippus. No
UCMP 42078 12815 RAD-f, PHX 1948 276 - University of California Museum of Paleontology Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Equidae Equinae Equini Equus Yes
OLD-15 12441 69 - GRK S d-M-f 114 - Natural History Museum UK II Current location 17E; drawer 5; very worn; "OLDY GRK II 24.V.35" Unknown Mammalia Proboscidea Tethytheria Behemota Elephantoidea Elephantidae No
OLD-169 12459 69 - GRK S d-M (4) 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-169; deciduous molar pillars; "Colld. & presd. Dr. LSB Leakey, 1935"; "Presumably associated OLDY GRK II 24.V.35" 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Proboscidea Tethytheria Behemota Elephantoidea Elephantidae No
FLK NI 21182 10193 7 - FLK North L-RAD-f 1960-2 I Haarhoff, P.J. 1993. Latest Pliocene mousebirds (Aves, Coliidae) from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ann S Afr Mus. 103:191–211. Left proximal radius fragment. "The specimen numbers are catalogue numbers of the Olduvai fossil birds, and the data are kept at the Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville. The fossils belong to the Tanzanian Ministry of Antiquities, Dar es Salaam. They were collected by Mary Leakey in 1960-1962" (Haarhoff, 1993:). Unknown Aves Coliiformes Coliidae Colius cf. striatus No
OVPP-Clarias 23 2644 6 - FLK NN SKULL-f, R/L-OPER, ARTC-f, QUAD-f, DNTY-f, URH:, R/L-RAY-f, CLEI-f, VER-f, ARCH-f 1960 104 - Unknown I 2, 3 Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. MNI=19. Multiple of each element is represented, authors do not specify number for every element. These specimens are from trench II, "long strip". 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Cichlidae 14 2663 6 - FLK NN OPER, VER-f, HMND-f, PTER, SPINE-f 1960 104 - Unknown I 2, 3 Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. MNI=3. The specimens are from trench II. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Unknown Actinopterygii Perciformes Cichlidae Pseudocrenilabrinae Tilapini Tilapia This specimen is "probably Tilapia." No
Is 1941 1317 L-RAD-f 104 - Unknown 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 Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus No
BK II 1953/54 1318 10 - BK L-RAD-f 1953 II 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 Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus No
Is 1941 5392 L-RAD-f 104 - Unknown 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 Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus No
OVPP-21 7698 RAD-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Upper -- Proximal radius 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/6/28 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No