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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
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
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
D. 35 1226 5 - FLK L-MAN, MTC-f 1960 104 - Unknown 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 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella wellsi This specimen was reclassified as Antidorcas recki by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
FLK I B. 492 1231 5 - FLK L-MAN 1960 104 - Unknown 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 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella wellsi This specimen was reclassified as Antidorcas recki by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
M. 26929 1266 L-HOR-f 1931 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) 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. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella sp. No
HWK II 471 1353 11 - HWK L-HOR-f 1959 104 - Unknown II 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 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella wellsi No
OVPP-Gazella 14 1356 7 - FLK North L-M 1960 104 - Unknown 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 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella wellsi No
OVPP-Gazella 15 1357 7 - FLK North L-M 104 - Unknown I 1, 2, 3 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 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella wellsi No
FLK N I 914 1358 7 - FLK North L-MAN 104 - Unknown I 1, 2, 3 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 Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella wellsi No
FLK N I 503 1360 7 - FLK North L-MAN 104 - Unknown I 1, 2, 3 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 Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella wellsi 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
F558 3081 CARA-f, NRL-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) -- The authors say this specimen comes from "SI" though this is not a known locality. 152 - W. Auffenberg Unknown Reptilia Testudines Cryptodira Testidinoidea Testudinidae Geochelone sp. The author puts this specimen in Geochelone, species B. No
OVPP-Geochelone 1 3106 10 - BK R-HYPL-f 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) II Auffenberg, W. 1981. The fossil turtles of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Africa. Copeia 1981:509-522. 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 Cryptodira Testidinoidea Testudinidae Geochelone pardalis No
OVPP-Geochelone 4 3109 24 - DK NRL-f 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I Auffenberg, W. 1981. The fossil turtles of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Africa. Copeia 1981:509-522. 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 Cryptodira Testidinoidea Testudinidae Geochelone pardalis The author mentions there are over 3,000 fossilized turtle fragments from Olduvai Gorge, 98% of which are from the species Pelusios sinuatus. However, it is unclear which specimens belong to which species based on the description given. When it was unclear, the specimen is only referred to as belonging to the Order Testudines. No
F558 6848 CARA-f, NRL-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) -- The authors say this specimen comes from "SI" though this is not a known locality. 152 - W. Auffenberg Unknown Reptilia Testudines Cryptodira Testidinoidea Testudinidae Geochelone sp. The author puts this specimen in Geochelone, species B. No
OVPP-Gorgon 1 130 L-FRO, L-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is in the BMNH collections but a specimen number is not given. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Gorgon olduvaiensis No
OVPP-Herpestes 5 3893 7 - FLK North L-M I 4 Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is an upper M1. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Herpestes ichneumon 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
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
OVPP-Herpestes 4 7654 7 - FLK North L-M I 4 Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is an upper M1. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Herpestes ichneumon 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 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
OVPP-Heterocephalus 6 2901 7 - FLK North SKULL-f, R/L-M 104 - Unknown I upper Denys, C. 1989. A new species of bathyergid rodent from Olduvai Bed I (Tanzania, Lower Pleistocene). Neue Jahrbuecher Geologica Palaeontologica 5:257-264. This specimen is picture in figure 1-1 and 1-2. 147 - C. Denys Yes Mammalia Rodentia Bathyergidae Heterocephalinae Heterocephalus jaegeri Holotype? No
OVPP-Heterocephalus 3 2902 7 - FLK North SKULL-f, R/L-M 104 - Unknown I upper Denys, C. 1989. A new species of bathyergid rodent from Olduvai Bed I (Tanzania, Lower Pleistocene). Neue Jahrbuecher Geologica Palaeontologica 5:257-264. This specimen is pictured in figure 1-3. 147 - C. Denys Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Bathyergidae Heterocephalinae Heterocephalus jaegeri Hypodigm No
F. 3662 068/5812 P.P.T.2 138 CRA-f, L-HOR, R-HOR-f 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. This specimen is pictured in plates 56 and 58. The adhering matrix suggests this specimen must come from above the Lemuta member. 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 Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas Holotype No
M. 21450 145 10 - BK L-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) 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 No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus niger This specimen was reclassified by Gentry and Gentry (1978) as Damaliscus niro. No
M. 14530 148 L-HOR-f 1932 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition No Matrix adhering suggests it may have come from Bed 2. Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus equinus This specimen was reclassified by Gentry and Gentry (1978) as Hippotragus gigas. No
FLK II 1961.068/6663 833 5 - FLK L-HOR, CRA-f 1961 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) II middle 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 specimen is pictured in plate 10, figure 2. The other specimen pictured is DK I 067/5496. 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 Unknown "limestone with with sand-size volcanic detritus" Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas No
TK II 067/5310 835 23 - TK SKULL-f 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. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas No
BK II 1963.3042 836 10 - BK L-HOR 1963 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. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas No
M. 29425 837 50 - GHTK L-HOR 1935 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) 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. 137 - A. Gentry No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas No
M. 29424 838 L-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) 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 Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas No
BK II 1963.2226 841 10 - BK L-MAX-f, L-M 1963 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 11, figure 4 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas No
JK2 A. 2838 842 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 Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas 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
OH 6 3721 5 - FLK 283 - 45 CRA-f , M-f , L-P , L-TIB-f , L-FIB-f , 1959/60 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Middle (Zinj.) Surface. Cranial and dental fragments found in surface soil from slope immediately below Zinj. site; assumed to be from Zinj. level (Leakey, MD, 1971:227). TIB-f and FIB-f from Zinj. level. Davis, P. R. 1964. Hominid fossils from Bed I, Olduvai Gorge, Tanganyika. A tibia and fibula. Nature. 201, 967. From Tobias (1991): OH 35 tibia and fibula attributed to same individual as OH 6 but appear to be more mature. It is unclear if OH 35 tibia and fibula are the same tibia and fibula originally listed under OH 6. Leakey, MD, 1971 describes CRA and dental fragments as having been found in surface soil, but Leakey, Tobias, and Napier, 1964 state "some [were] found in situ [and] some on the surface" (:9). Unworn lower L-P3. Partially developed roots of upper M1 or 2. Six cranial vault fragments. Tibia and fibula fragments first assumed to be associated with Zinjanthropus OH5, but should be considered associates with OH 6 following morphological study (Leakey, MD, 1971:227). and skull fragments. Juvenile. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Paratype. TIB-f and FIB-f not given taxonomic designation in original publication (Davis, 1964) but named as a paratype in Leakey, Tobias, and Napier, 1964. 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