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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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1690 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
OH 66 3781 7 - FLK North R-P 1998 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania I Upper Surface. Tooth is lower P4. Specimen is pictured on the far right in image 1. Specimen is pictured in bottom left in image 2. No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei 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
S. 196 3116 24 - DK CRA-f, P, M, C 1969 104 - Unknown I Leakey, M., and Leakey, R. 1976. Further Cercopithecinae (Mammalia, Primates) from the Plio/Pleistocene of East Africa. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 4:121-146. This specimen is pictured in plate 1. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini Papio ap. No
1931 II 868 9132 L-MAN-f, or, L-MAX-f?, L-P, L-M 1913 116 - Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (BSPG), Munich, Germany Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:56. p4-m2. Label/publication taxon ID: Damaliscus korrigum angusticornis. Reck Field No.: E 86. This specimen's number was not visible in any photographs. As a result, the photograph was included because it is likely that the specimen is represented in this image. However, this is not confirmed and it is possible that the specimen is not in this photograph. 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Parmularius angusticornis Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. No
019 3900 7 - FLK North R-MAN, P, (n=2) I 4 Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is a right mandible with P3 and P4. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Ichneumia albicauda No
OVPP-Ichneumia 1 3905 7 - FLK North L-MAX-f, P, (n=2) I 4 -- Specimen is a fragment of left maxilla with P3 and P4. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Ichneumia albicauda No
OVPP-Ichneumia 2 3906 7 - FLK North R-P, (n=3), M, (n=2) I 3 Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Author lists elements together but does specify if they come from a single individual. Premolars are upper P2, P3 and P4. Molars are upper M1 and M2. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Ichneumia albicauda No
OVPP-Ichneumia 3 3907 7 - FLK North M, (n=2), P I A Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Author lists elements together but does specify if they come from a single individual. Molars are lower M1 and M2. Premolar is lower P3. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Ichneumia albicauda No
019 7661 7 - FLK North R-MAN, P, (n=2) I 4 Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is a right mandible with P3 and P4. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Ichneumia albicauda 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 3 10179 5 - FLK 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. Three pedal phalanges. "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
VFK III-IV 150 1076 44 - VFK SKULL, HOR, M, P 104 - Unknown III, 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. This specimen is one of several of a herd found in undivided beds III-IV. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Damaliscus agelaius No
VFK III-IV 235 1077 44 - VFK HOR, M, P 104 - Unknown III, 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. This specimen is one of several of a herd found in undivided beds III-IV. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Damaliscus agelaius 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
MB.Ma.103 9187 P 1913 128 - Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany -- Reck field number: X 779. Mfn room number: 2251. 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Canis africanus Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. 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
OVPP-Elephas 2 91 8 - MK MAN, C, M, I, P 104 - Unknown I lower Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several other specimens found at this site in Bed I but probably fell from Bed II. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Specimen was "embedded in matrix." Mammalia Proboscidea Tethytheria Behemota Elephantoidea Elephantidae Elephas africanavus No
BK II 1953.067/5230 705 10 - BK R-M, R-P 1953 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 1, figure 4. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Syncerus acoelotus No
OF 68.274 762 43 - Bos K SKULL, HOR, M, P 1962 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania III, 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. This specimen is from a juvenile. It is the same individual as the horn core OF 68.205. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Syncerus acoelotus No
OVPP-Syncerus 2 766 46 - JK 2 M?, I?, 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 Bovinae Bovini Syncerus acoelotus The authors describe teeth but not specifically which type(s) of teeth that are more likely to be from S. acoelotus than P. antiquus. No
OVPP-Syncerus 3 767 10 - BK M?, I?, P? 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 authors discuss teeth found at BK II but does not specifically describe which type(s) of teeth are found. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Syncerus acoelotus The authors describe these specimens as being smaller than P. oldowayensis. No
1963.2717 768 P 1963 104 - Unknown 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 Bovini Syncerus acoelotus No
1963.2765 769 10 - BK MAN, P, M 1963 104 - Unknown 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 Bovini Syncerus acoelotus No
OVPP-Muridae 1 35 5 - FLK P, M, I, C, MAN, MAX 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. Several unidentified murids 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
OVPP-Muridae 2 37 6 - FLK NN P, M, I, 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 No Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
OVPP-Muridae 3 38 6 - FLK NN P, M, I, C 104 - Unknown I middle 2, 3 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several specimens of unidentified murids. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
OVPP-Muridae 4 40 7 - FLK North P, M, I, C 104 - Unknown I upper 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several specimens of unidentified murids are present. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae The author is unsure of the taxonomy. No
1510/1957 49 MAN-f, P, M 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. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Hyaenidae 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-Herpestes 2 73 7 - FLK North R-MAN, R-P, R-M 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 Herpestes Author suggests it is just as likely to be in genus Bdeogale. No
OVPP-Genetta 1 74 7 - FLK North R-MAN, R-P, R-M 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 Viverridae Viverrinae Genetta 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-Genetta 2 79 7 - FLK North R-MAN, R-P, R-M 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 Viverridae Viverrinae Genetta 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-Crossarchus 1 88 6 - FLK NN R-MAN, R-P, R-M 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 Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Viverridae Crossarchus 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
FLK N I 6334 195 7 - FLK North PAL, L/R-HOR 1960 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I upper 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. 139 - B. Cooke 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella This specimen was reclassified by Gentry and Gentry (1978) as Antidorcas recki. No
M. 21460/OR-NR VIII 343 205 CRA, MAX, HOR, M, P 1913 109 - BSPG, Munich, Germany(?)/ NHM UK(?) Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This holotype was collected by Reck in 1913 and is housed in the Munich Museum, registered as OR-NR VIII 343. The BMNH number, M. 21460 is for the cast and is shown in plate 87. Locality was not provided by the author. 137 - A. Gentry 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella Holotype - This specimen was reclassified as Antidorcas recki by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
FLK N I 067/240 899 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P 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 from an immature individual. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini No
S. 208 1099 CRA, PAL-f, L-M 1970 104 - Unknown Lemuta Tuff 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 32, figure 1. 137 - A. Gentry Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Indet. This specimen has some resemblance to Rabaticeras arambourgi. It is a different species than specimen 1963.068/5976. No