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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 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-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
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
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
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
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
OVPP-247 7925 RAD-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle -- Proximal radius 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/08 253 - OVPP Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OLD 63/3382 BK II 8056 10 - BK d-M 1963 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II -- Packed in National Museum in Nairobi, Kenya in box 188 or 189 labeled "Cercopithecidae" for transport to National Museum of History, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Deciduous molar missing roots. 2012/7/23 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD 61/067/2769 8099 5 - FLK d-TOOTH, d-C, d-I, d-M 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I -- Deciduous teeth including canine, incisors, molars. E/19 FLK I. Card in bag states "E-19( 8'-12')". All specimens in bag not labeled. 2012/07/26 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OLD 69 S.45 MNK Mid II.S 8121 27 - MNK L-RAD-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Middle Surface. -- Proximal end of left radius. Large. Preserves about 1/3 of shaft. Card in bag with specimen states "OLD/69 S-45 MNK Mid II-S". 2012/07/27 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OLD 1953/4 BK II 8141 10 - BK L-RAD-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Jolly, C.J. 1965. Origins and specialization of the long-faced Cercopithecoidea. PhD thesis, University of London. Proximal end of left radius. Large. 2012/07/30 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
067/56 09 8147 RAD-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania -- Part of radius. Proximal end with 1/3 shaft. In the same bag with 067/5611,067/5616 and 067/5610. Card with specimen states "N702".type specimen? 2012/07/30 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus oswaldi No
OLD/53/387 8165 d-TOOTH 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania -- Deciduous tooth. Specimen in bag is unlabeled. Card in bag states "OLD/53 BK II Monkey tooth 387". Pleistocene. 2012/07/31 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/69 FLK S.159 8219 5 - FLK d-C 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania S. 159 -- Deciduous canine. 2012/08/03 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/70 WKE A.518 8267 41 - WK E L-MAN-f, d-TOOTH 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania -- Left mandible fragment with two teeth (d). Card with box states "Olduvai Bed IV WKE Old/70 A.518. Left mandible fragment with third deciduous premolar and fourth deciduous premolar. ?Cercocebus B7." 2012/08/10 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
1931 II 26 8537 CRA, d-TOOTH 1913 116 - Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (BSPG), Munich, Germany 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. Complete cranium with most teeth, juvenile. Reck Field No.: X 738. Museum label notes: 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini Papio Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. 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
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
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
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-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
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