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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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7924 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-Sylvisorex 4 3818 7 - FLK North MAN, (n=9) I 5 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. The following specimens are specifically mentioned by the authors: A. Left mandible with lightly worn I2-M3 B. Left mandible with moderately worn M1-M3 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Sylvisorex granti No
OVPP-Suncus 14 3833 7 - FLK North MAN, (n=22) I 5 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Suncus varilla meesteri No
OVPP-Suncus 22 3841 7 - FLK North MAN, (n=3) I 5 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Suncus leakeyi No
OVPP-Crocidura 9 3847 7 - FLK North MAN, (n=8) I 5 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. The following specimen is specifically mentioned by the author: Right mandibular ramus complete dentition, moderately worn. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Crocidura balsaci No
OVPP-Soricidae 2 3852 7 - FLK North L-MAN, (n=3) I 5 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. Three left mandibular fragments. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Three of five specimens of indeterminant species of Soricidae from Olduvai. Authors state that there appears to be three different species represented in the indeterminant specimens. These specimens are described as Species II. No
OVPP-Myosorex 11 3810 7 - FLK North HUM, (n=3), MAN, (n=6) I 6 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. Authors do not provide MNI. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Myosorex robinsoni No
OVPP-Sylvisorex 5 3819 7 - FLK North MAN, (n=3) I 6 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. The following specimen is specifically mentioned by the author: Left mandibular fragment with I2-M3 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Sylvisorex granti No
OVPP-Suncus 15 3834 7 - FLK North MAN, (n=2) I 6 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Suncus varilla meesteri No
OVPP-Suncus 23 3842 7 - FLK North MAN, (n=2) I 6 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Suncus leakeyi No
DK I I/8 8228 24 - DK PHX-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 8 -- Distal phalanx. Card in bag with specimen states "Old 1963 DK I Strip I/8 L/2, 5794". 2012/08/03 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OH 12 3727 18 - VEK 286 - 86 OCC , L/R-PAR , L/R-TEM-f , CRA-f , L-PAL , L-MAX , TOOTH-f 1962 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV? a Surface. Found on eroded slope of Bed III. L-TEM-f from just below marker Tuff IVa. Leakey, L., and Leakey, M. 1964. Recent discoveries of fossil hominids in tanganyika: at Olduvai and near Lake Natron. Nature 202:5-7. Crowns of teeth not preserved. Bed IVA determined on basis of matrix adhering to L-TEM-f and PAL. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No L-TEM-f & PAL found with matrix adhering. Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus No
OH 25 3740 268 - 54 L-PAR-f 1968 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV a Surface Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Left parietal fragment ca. asterion. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Juvenile. No
OH 28 3743 38 - WK 290 - 36 L-PVG-f , L-FEM-f 1970 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV a Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Left femoral shaft and left innominate. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus No
752 DK IA 8222 24 - DK PHX 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I A? -- Middle phalanx. Indeterminant species. 2012/08/03 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/62 DK IA SCREE 8227 24 - DK R-CUBNAV 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I A? Scree surface -- Right navicular. Card in bag with specimen states "Field No: 067/4045". Pleistocene. 2012/08/03 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
1220 DK IA S067/391(2?) 8230 24 - DK MTT-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I A? Surface -- Distal end of metatarsal. Pleistocene. Specimen found in bag with 1217 DK I A S 067/3916 (proximal end of metatarsal). Probably fragments from the same bone. Card in bag with specimens states "Loc: Olduvai, Field No: 067/3916(A)1217 OLD/62 Metatarsal III proximal end,metatarsal III distal end, same bone?". 2012/08/03 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
1217 DK IA S067/3916 8231 24 - DK MTT-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I A? Surface -- Proximal end of metatarsal. Pleistocene. Specimen found in bag with 1220 DK I A S 067/391(2?) (distal end of metatarsal.).Probably fragments from the same bone. Card in bag with specimens states "Loc: Olduvai, Field No: 067/3916(A)1217 OLD/62 Metatarsal III proximal end,metatarsal III distal end, same bone?". 2012/08/03 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
1229 DK IA SCREE 067/? 8232 24 - DK L-MTT-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I A? Scree -- Proximal end of left metatarsal. Card in bag with specimens states "Loc: Olduvai, Field No: OLD 1962 067/3917". Pleistocene. 2012/08/03 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD 62 DK I A Surf. 2967 8144 24 - DK R-HUM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I A? Surface. -- Distal end of right humerus. Pleistocene. 2012/07/30 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
5168/404 DK I B/2 8123 24 - DK CRA-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I B/2? -- Cranial fragment. Pleistocene. Specimen in bag with 5169/KNM 2.9?7 DK I B/2. 2012/07/27 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OH 16 3731 72 - FLK Maiko Gully 283 - 45 CRA-f , TOOTH , MAN , 1963 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II base Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Upper and lower dentition, calotte, and > 1500 unidentified fragments due to cattle trampling. Majority of fragments found on surface of Tuff IF, some teeth found in situ, 2 feet above Tuff IF. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 154 - Leakey and Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Leakey LSB, 1964 refers to this specimen as Homo erectus. Leakey, Tobias, and Napier provisionally assign it to Homo habilis (referred material, not paratype) (1964), and Leakey MD, 1971 refers to it as cf. Australopithecus. Yes
OH 58 3773 79 - JK Cliff P 1977 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I base of cliff Surface. -- lateral half unerupted premolar crown. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo sp. No
067/3979 DK IC 8223 24 - DK L-AST 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I C? Surface -- Left astragulus. Card in bag with specimen states "LOC: OLDUVAI, OLD `62". Pleistocene. 2012/08/03 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OVPP-362 9738 L-MAN, L-P, L-M 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania Ndutu Contact -- Left mandible with P4 and M3. Needs prep. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/24 253 - OVPP No Y Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OH 34 3749 76 - JK W FEM , TIB-f 1962 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania III/ IV for Bed IV level = a Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Femur described as "slender" (Leakey MD, 1971) and shaft of tibia. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo sp. Slender bone No
OLD/70/5939 WK VIII/I 8266 38 - WK PHX 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania VIII I -- Phalanx. Card in bag with specimen states "WK main cha(?) Primate I=papionini." 2012/08/10 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OLD/69 1468 HEB W IV/I 8290 93 - HEB G FEM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV I -- Distal end of femur and part of shaft. 2012/08/13 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OH 74 3789 72 - FLK Maiko Gully L-M 2007 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania I ID above Surface. Left M2, unerupted. Specimen is pictured second from the bottom left in image 1. Specimen is shown on right in image 2. No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei No
OH 57 3772 14 - HWK E P-f 1977 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Lower II Surface. -- Lower P3 or P4 crown. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo sp. No
OH 1 3717 13 - RK 278 - 9 SKEL 1913 116 - Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (BSPG), Munich, Germany Ndutu Intrusive burial Hans-Reck. 1913, Oldoway-Expedition Monograph; LSB Leakey 18 March 1933 Partial skeleton. Intrusive burial post-dating primary Olduvai sequence. 144 - H. Reck 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo sapiens No
OVPP-Otomys 20 3967 5 - FLK MAN-f, (n=185), M, (n=187), MAX-f, (n=80) I K,1,2,3; M1-6 Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Mandible assemblage consists of 41 with M/123, 78 with M/12, 4 with M/23, 61 with M/1, 1 with M/2. Molar assemblage consists of 62 M/1, 28 M1/, 26 M2/ and 71 M3/. Maxilla assemblage consists of 16 with M123/, 13 with M12/, 12 with M23/, 22 with M2/, 5 with M3/. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/6/28 Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys 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
24/1959 56 8 - MK M 1959 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I lower 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 Yes Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Arctoidea Mustelidae Lutrinae Lutra sp. No
OVPP-Elephas 1 90 8 - MK SKEL 1935 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I lower Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is shown in plate 17. Most of the skeleton is preserved. 134 - C. Arambourg 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Embedded in matrix Mammalia Proboscidea Tethytheria Behemota Elephantoidea Elephantidae Elephas africanavus Unknown
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
OVPP-Elephas 3 92 MAN 104 - Unknown II lower Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Many mandibles and upper dentition were recovered from bed 2. This specimen is pictured in plate 18. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Proboscidea Tethytheria Behemota Elephantoidea Elephantidae Elephas exoptatus No
OVPP-Deinotherium 1 94 UK 104 - Unknown I, II lower Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. The author does not give specifics of what specimens have been recovered but mentions that several elements preserved. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Proboscidea Tethytheria Behemota Deinotheriidae Deinotherium bozasi No
OVPP-Giraffa 1 115 11 - HWK SKEL 104 - Unknown II lower Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This is a complete skeleton. Some parts are pictured in plates 33, 34, and 35. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Giraffoidea Giraffidae Giraffinae Giraffini Giraffa gracilis Syntype No
OVPP-Tragelaphus 1 121 14 - HWK E CRA, HOR 1959 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) II lower 2 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in plates 40, 41. The cranium and horn cones were found near the base of Bed 2. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Strepsicerotini Strepsiceros maryanus Holotype - Gentry and Gentry (1978) reclassified this specimen as Tragelaphus strepsiceros maryanus. No
GC IV 596 223 25 - GC R-HOR 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) IV lower 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. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Megalotragus kattwinkelli No