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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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166 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
OLD-44b 13267 FEM-f 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-44b; distal end femur fragment Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Giraffoidea Giraffidae No
OVPP-P-1 13276 Distal FEM-f -- Bed I surf OLD-S-I 1941 F.887 Unknown Indet. Yes
OVPP-P-27 13303 LIMB (femur) -f -- OLD-60 DALK Bed IV Unknown Carnivora Felidae Panthera Yes
BK II Ext 1953.067/5364 1179 10 - BK FEM 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 is from the same specimen as BK II Ext 1953.067/5363 and 5506. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini This specimen is probably of Parmularius angusticornis or Damaliscus niro. It could also be from Connochaetes. No
BK II 693 1953 1319 10 - BK R-FEM-f 1953 104 - Unknown 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 No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus No
1952 BK II 267 1760 10 - BK R-FEM 1952 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Gentry, A. W. 1967. Pelorovis oldowayensis Reck, an extinct bovid from East Africa: British Museum. pp. 245-299 This is from the same individual as 1952 BK II 268. It is pictured in plate 4. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Pelorovis oldowayensis No
1952 BK II 268 1761 10 - BK L-FEM 1952 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Gentry, A. W. 1967. Pelorovis oldowayensis Reck, an extinct bovid from East Africa: British Museum. pp. 245-299 This is from the same individual as 267. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Pelorovis oldowayensis No
1952 BK II 187 1762 10 - BK R-FEM-f 1952 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Gentry, A. W. 1967. Pelorovis oldowayensis Reck, an extinct bovid from East Africa: British Museum. pp. 245-299 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Pelorovis oldowayensis No
OVPP-Pelorovis 89 1763 10 - BK R-FEM-f 1953 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Extension Gentry, A. W. 1967. Pelorovis oldowayensis Reck, an extinct bovid from East Africa: British Museum. pp. 245-299 "Extension" is referred to in the literature as to the location of the fossil. It may be extension of archaeological locality, level, or stratigraphic horizon. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Pelorovis oldowayensis 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
OLD 63/067/1564 BK II 5/CS 8119 10 - BK FEM 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II -- Femur shaft. 2012/07/27 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OH 20 3735 11 - HWK 289 - 44 L-FEM-f 1959 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II or I Lowermost if Bed II, upper if Bed I Surface Day, MH. 1969. Femoral Fragment of a Robust Australopithecine from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Nature. 22: 230-233. Proximal end of large left femur missing head, greater and lesser trochanters damaged. Either Lower Bed II or Upper Bed I (Leakey MD, 1971:233). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus cf. boisei No
OLD/68 S.3 HWK 8280 11 - HWK FEM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania -- Proximal end of femur. Does not preserve greater trochanter. Pleistocene. 2012/08/10 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD-233 12508 18 - VEK FEM-f 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-233; femoral head fragment; "VEK Site antiquus s?" Unknown Mammalia Proboscidea Tethytheria Behemota Elephantoidea Elephantidae No
OH 53 3768 19 - SHK R-FEM 1957 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Middle -- Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo No
OLD/69 S.92 SHK 8197 19 - SHK R-FEM 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania -- Right proximal femur. Pleistocene. MD Leakey. 2012/08/02 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus No
OVPP-L-1043 10322 22 - SC FEM-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania -- Box: OLD/71 SC TR II SPIT 6. Specimen label: OLD/71.SC.997 Unknown Mammalia No
OVPP-L-1086 10365 22 - SC FEM-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania Box: SC. Specimen label: OLD/71.SC.279 Unknown Mammalia No
OVPP-L-1088 10367 22 - SC FEM-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania Box: SC. Specimen label: OLD/71.SC. Unknown Mammalia No
DK I 5400 722 24 - DK FEM 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. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Tragelaphini The authors describe this specimen as coming from a "larger tragelaphine". No
DK I 3051 856 24 - DK FEM 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. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas No
DK I 3330 1237 24 - DK FEM 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. 137 - A. Gentry 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Antidorcas recki No
DK I 5385 1238 24 - DK FEM 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. 137 - A. Gentry 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Antidorcas recki No
OLD/63/4135 DK I L/2 8202 24 - DK R-FEM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 2 Strip III -- Distal end of right femur. Pleistocene. Card in bag with specimen states "Strip III". 2012/08/02 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD 1963/ 4372 DK I L/3 8205 24 - DK L-FEM 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 -- Complete left femur. LSB Leakey. Card in bag with specimen states "Strip III. Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae genus indet. left femur... much more slender than any recorded[?] species of Simopithecus...". [See card in photograph; writing on card barely legible.] 2012/08/02 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/64 2966 DK I A + 8278 24 - DK FEM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I -- Distal end of Femur. Weathered. Pleistocene. 2012/08/10 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/63 3120 DK I L/3 KNM 2.015 8293 24 - DK R-FEM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 Strip III -- Proximal end of right femur. L/3 Strip III Pleistocene. Card in bag with specimen states "Primate?" Other card in bag with specimen states "Cercopithecidae, Cynocephalinae. Head of femur part of Simopithecus individual or 4372 we'll see." 2012/08/13 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea 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
OLD/70 553a WK III/4 8289 38 - WK FEM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania III 4 -- Distal end of femur? and part of shaft. 2012/08/13 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
BK II E 1383 1321 49 - BK E R-FEM-f 104 - Unknown 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
OLD 63/067/5512 BK II E SAND 8120 49 - BK E FEM 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Eastern sands -- Femur shaft (right?). Large. Pleistocene. 2012/07/27 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OLD 1957 1383 BK II E KNM 2.24? 8277 49 - BK E FEM-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. Distal end of Femur and part of shaft. LSB Leakey. Cercopithecoidea. Pleistocene. 2012/08/10 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea 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
OVPP-Sylvisorex 12 3826 6 - FLK NN FEM, (n=6), HUM, (n=27), MAN-f, (n=139) I 2/3 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. Includes holotype for the species, a right mandibular ramus with complete dentition. The following specimens are specifically mentioned by the authors: a. Right mandible with base of I1 and worn I2-M3 b. Right mandible with unworn M1-M3 and alveoli of I2 and P4 c. Right mandible with M1, M2 and alveoli of M3 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Sylvisorex olduvaiensis Described as Suncus cf. lixus by Butler & Greenwood (1965). No
OVPP-Sylvisorex 14 3856 6 - FLK NN FEM, (n=2), HUM, (n=7) I 1/3 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 an MNI. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Sylvisorex olduvaiensis No
067/4668 FLK NN Tr. Trench/4 8204 6 - FLK NN R-FEM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 4 Trench -- Proximal half of right femur. Pleistocene. Card in bag with specimen states "LSB Leakey `60 LOC: Olduvai Field No: 067/4667 L/4 FLK NN I OLD 60". 2012/08/02 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD 15473 10158 6 - FLK NN L-FEM I Layer 3 Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1984. Fossil owls from early man sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich; Journal of African Ornithology 55:17-27. PARATYPE. OLD 15364 and OLD 15473 are "proximal and distal parts of left femur" (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1984:17). "Paratypes: The following specimens are from layer 3 of locality FLK NNI and can be attributed to the same individual as the holotype: 15740, premaxillae; 3301, lower part of right coracoid. 15364 and 15473, proximal and distal parts of left femur; 16377, distal part of right femur; 15701, distal part of left tibiotarsus; 15776, left fibula; 16262, proximal part of right tarsometatarsus; 15730, distal part of left tarsometatarsus; 15942, 15946, 16050, 16171, 16174, 16176 to 16180, 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, 1984:17, 19). Image notes: (Scale = 2 cm) A-B: Left coracoid, holotype, OLD 15802, FLK NNI, layer 3, A anterior face, B posterior face. C: Right tarsometatarsus, proximal part, paratype, OLD 16262, FLK NNI, scree, anterior face. D: Left tarsometatarsus, distal part, paratype, OLD 15730, FLK NNI, layer 3, anterior face. E-F: Left femur, proximal half, paratype, OLD 15364, FLK NNI, layer 2+3, E anterior face, F Posterior face. G-H: Left femur, distal part, paratype, OLD 15473, FLK NNI, layer 3, G anterior face, H posterior face. I: Left tarsometatarsus, almost complete, OLD 11574, FLK NI, layer 1, anterior face. J-K: Left femur, lacking the distal part, OLD 11586, FLK NI, layer 2, J anterior face, K posterior face. Unknown Aves Strigiformes Strigidae Bubo leakeyae No
OLD 16377 10160 6 - FLK NN R-FEM-f I Layer 3 scree Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1984. Fossil owls from early man sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich; Journal of African Ornithology 55:17-27. PARATYPE. Distal portion of right femur. "Paratypes: The following specimens are from layer 3 of locality FLK NNI and can be attributed to the same individual as the holotype: 15740, premaxillae; 3301, lower part of right coracoid. 15364 and 15473, proximal and distal parts of left femur; 16377, distal part of right femur; 15701, distal part of left tibiotarsus; 15776, left fibula; 16262, proximal part of right tarsometatarsus; 15730, distal part of left tarsometatarsus; 15942, 15946, 16050, 16171, 16174, 16176 to 16180, 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, 1984:17, 19). Image notes: (Scale = 2 cm) A-B: Left coracoid, holotype, OLD 15802, FLK NNI, layer 3, A anterior face, B posterior face. C: Right tarsometatarsus, proximal part, paratype, OLD 16262, FLK NNI, scree, anterior face. D: Left tarsometatarsus, distal part, paratype, OLD 15730, FLK NNI, layer 3, anterior face. E-F: Left femur, proximal half, paratype, OLD 15364, FLK NNI, layer 2+3, E anterior face, F Posterior face. G-H: Left femur, distal part, paratype, OLD 15473, FLK NNI, layer 3, G anterior face, H posterior face. I: Left tarsometatarsus, almost complete, OLD 11574, FLK NI, layer 1, anterior face. J-K: Left femur, lacking the distal part, OLD 11586, FLK NI, layer 2, J anterior face, K posterior face. Unknown Aves Strigiformes Strigidae Bubo leakeyae No
FLK NNI 15356 10188 6 - FLK NN R-FEM 1960-2 I Haarhoff, P.J. 1993. Latest Pliocene mousebirds (Aves, Coliidae) from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ann S Afr Mus. 103:191–211. "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, 1993:193). Unknown Aves Coliiformes Coliidae Colius cf. striatus No
FLK NNI 16690 10190 6 - FLK NN L-FEM-f 1960-2 I Haarhoff, P.J. 1993. Latest Pliocene mousebirds (Aves, Coliidae) from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ann S Afr Mus. 103:191–211. Fragment of distal left femur. "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, 1993:193). Unknown Aves Coliiformes Coliidae Colius cf. striatus No