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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
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
068/6514 3711 34 - MLK CRA, MAX-f, R/L-P, R/L-M 104 - Unknown II middle Leakey, M. G., and Leakey, R. E. F. 1973. Pleistocene Colobinae from East Africa. Leakey, L. S. B., Savage, R. J. G., Coryndon, S. C., eds. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 3. London: Academic Pr This specimen is pictured in plate 3. 154 - Leakey and Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Colobinae Colobini Cercopithecoides kimeui Holotype No
OH 7 3722 6 - FLK NN 283 - 45 MAN , L-PAR , R-PAR-f , M , OCC-f , L/R-TEM-f , PHX , CAR 1960 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 On surface of clay immediately overlying Tuff IB. Leakey, L.S.B., Tobias, P.V. & Napier, J.R. 1964. A new species of the genus Homo from Olduvai Gorge. Nature 202(4927): 7-9. Holotype. "Jonny's Child". Juvenile. Mandible with partial dentition and unerupted R/L-M3, almost complete left parietal and fragments of right parietal, left and right petrous portions (temporal) , "sundry small skull fragments ... [and] twenty-one bones of the hand, including the trapezium, scaphoid and a number of phalanges" (Leakey, MD, 1971:228). "One upper molar, a terminal phalanx, and a broken capitate bone, found on the surface, probably also belong to this individual" (:226). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Holotype No
OVPP-Latisternon 1 3114 24 - DK L-EPLS 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) II -- The authors mention "thousands" of fragments and a few complete shells of this species found 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. 152 - W. Auffenberg 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Reptilia Testudines Pelomedusidae Latisternon microsulcae 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
BK II 1952.1495 1036 10 - BK L-HOR 1952 104 - Unknown II Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in Leakey (1965) plate 86, left most specimen. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella Gentry and Gentry (1978) say this specimen is of "Type A" variety and could "doubtfully be included in D. niro." No
BK II 1957.876 1040 10 - BK L-HOR 1957 104 - Unknown 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 Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella Gentry and Gentry (1978) say this specimen is of "Type A" variety and could "doubtfully be included in D. niro." No
FLK N I 9394 932 7 - FLK North L-MTC 104 - Unknown I upper 5 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in Gentry and Gentry (1978a) plate 19, figure 2 (lower). 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Caprinae Caprini Gentry and Gentry (1978) reclassified this specimen to aff. Caprinae. No
M. 22479 1202 L-HOR 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I Gentry, A. W. 1966 Fossil Antilopini of East Africa. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History, Geology. 12: 43-106. 9 pls. 137 - A. Gentry 273 - Reck expedition No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella wellsi Gentry and Gentry (1978) reclassified this specimen as Antidorcas recki. No
M. 21456 1203 18 - VEK L-HOR 1935 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Gentry, A. W. 1966 Fossil Antilopini of East Africa. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History, Geology. 12: 43-106. 9 pls. This specimen was originally assigned to G. wellsi by Gentry (1966). 137 - A. Gentry 273 - Reck expedition No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella wellsi Gentry and Gentry (1978) reclassified this specimen as Antidorcas recki. No
M. 22362 1205 5 - FLK L-HOR 1935 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Gentry, A. W. 1966 Fossil Antilopini of East Africa. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History, Geology. 12: 43-106. 9 pls. This specimen is pictured in plate 7A. 137 - A. Gentry 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella wellsi Gentry and Gentry (1978) reclassified this specimen as Antidorcas recki. 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
M 103956 12901 L-HOR 1947 114 - Natural History Museum UK I-II -- OLD-804; left horncore base; O & B 1947 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Behemota Bovoidea Bovidae Connochaetes or Megalotragus Unknown
M 103921 12393 11 - HWK L-M 114 - Natural History Museum UK I -- OLD-989; left lower M2; Oldoway HWK I S Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Bovidae Bovini cf. syncherus No
M 103897 12660 40 - JK L-M 114 - Natural History Museum UK IV -- OLD-487; left lower M1 or M2; "Oldoway JK IV 17/5/35" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini cf. Syncerus Unknown
M 103896 12694 L-M 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-526; drawer 14; left lower M3 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini cf. Syncerus Unknown
M 103907 12710 39 - MRC 302 - 5 L-M 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-543; left upper M1 or M2; "OLD Y MRC-2 5 10/5/35" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini cf. Syncerus Unknown
M 103891 12718 25 - GC 302 - 5 L-M 114 - Natural History Museum UK IV -- OLD-559; left upper M1 or M2; "OLD Y GC ?IV 5" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini cf. Syncerus Unknown
M 103893 12795 L-M 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-676; left upper M1 or M2 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini cf. Syncerus Unknown
M 103894 12854 27 - MNK L-P 114 - Natural History Museum UK IV -- OLD-746; left lower P4; "OLD Y MNK IV S 15/5/35" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini cf. Syncerus Unknown
M 103910 12867 316 - VEK S L-MAN, M (2) 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-760; left mandible with M2 and M3; "OLD Y VEK S 18.VI.35" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini cf. Syncerus Unknown
M 103892 12939 25 - GC L-P 114 - Natural History Museum UK IV -- OLD-860; left upper P4; "OLD Y GC ?IV S 20.V.35" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini cf. Syncerus Unknown
M 103909 12918 L-M 114 - Natural History Museum UK III -- OLD-825; left upper molar; III S Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini cf. Syncerus Unknown
OLD-1189 13100 L-HUM-f 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-1189; distal L-HUM-f; Drawer says "Alcelaphini humeri"; "IS" or "II"? Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Behemota Bovoidea Bovidae cf. Alcelaphini Unknown
M 104155 12899 L-P 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-801; left lower P4 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae cf. Alcelaphini Unknown
M 103895 12852 25 - GC L-M 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-744; left upper M1; "OLD Y GC II S 9V35" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovini/Hippotragini Yes
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
764 3895 6 - FLK NN L-MAN I Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Herpestes pulverulentus Author describes this specimen as a member of the subgenus "Galerella". No
764 7656 6 - FLK NN L-MAN I Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Herpestes pulverulentus Author describes this specimen as a member of the subgenus "Galerella". No
778 3896 6 - FLK NN L-MAN-f, M, C I Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is a left mandible with M1 and C. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Herpestes debilis Author describes this specimen as a member of the subgenus "Galerella". Specimen is holotype. No
778 7657 6 - FLK NN L-MAN-f, M, C I Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is a left mandible with M1 and C. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Herpestes debilis Author describes this specimen as a member of the subgenus "Galerella". Specimen is holotype. 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
JK2 GP8 III GN 47 827 46 - JK 2 L-M 104 - Unknown III 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 Reduncinae Reduncini Kobus kob Although this lower molar is larger than most of the K. kob lineage, the authors believes it belongs to K. kob. No
JK2 III A.3271 826 46 - JK 2 d-L-P 104 - Unknown III 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 Reduncinae Reduncini Kobus kob Although this lower molar is larger than most of the K. kob lineage, the authors believe it belongs to K. kob. No
FLK NN I 800 846 6 - FLK NN L-FEM, R-HUM, R-RAD, R-ULN, R-TIB, OCX, R-CAL, VER, RIB 1961 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 is from the same individual as FLK NN I 960. It is found slightly higher than the FLK NN I level, and is overlain by Tuff ID. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas It has resemblance to Oryx but the authors suggest it resembles H. gigas. 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-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