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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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3807 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
SHK II 1957.268 1114 19 - SHK L-MAN, L-P 1957 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 37, figure 1. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Indet. The authors suggest this specimen is "probably" Parmularius angusticornis or Damaliscus niro. It could also be from Connochaetes. No
BK II 1963.941 1115 10 - BK MAN, 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 37, figure 2. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini The authors suggest this specimen is "probably" Parmularius angusticornis or Damaliscus niro. It could also be from Connochaetes. No
JK 2 III A. 2934 1117 46 - JK 2 R-MAN, R-M, R-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. This specimen is pictured in plate 37, figure 4. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Indet. The authors suggest this specimen is "probably" Parmularius angusticornis or Damaliscus niro. It could also be from Connochaetes. No
JK2 III B. FFM4-9 813 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 ellipsiprymnus The authors suggest this specimen could belong to a waterbuck. No
FLK NN I 358 886 6 - FLK NN HUM 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 Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Connochaetes sp. The authors suggest this specimen could be from Connochaetes, Megalotragus, or Beatragus. No
FLK NN I 405 887 6 - FLK NN MTC 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 Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Connochaetes sp. The authors suggest this specimen could be from Connochaetes, Megalotragus, or Beatragus. No
FLK NN I 305 889 6 - FLK NN MTC 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 Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Connochaetes sp. The authors suggest this specimen could be from Connochaetes, Megalotragus, or Beatragus. No
FLK NN I 577+578 890 6 - FLK NN MTC, RAD 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 Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Connochaetes sp. The authors suggest this specimen could be from Connochaetes, Megalotragus, or Beatragus. No
FLK N I 1728 943 7 - FLK North MAN 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 Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Parmularius altidens The authors say this specimen is "probably" P. altidens. No
DK I 067/4085 828 24 - DK R-M 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 Reduncinae Reduncini Redunca sp. The authors put this in Redunca sp. due to the small size. No
FLK N I 067/185 829 7 - FLK North R-M 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 Reduncinae Reduncini Redunca sp. The authors put this in Redunca sp. due to the small size. 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
FLK I G. 258 723 5 - FLK MTC 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
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
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
F173 3016 6 - FLK NN LIMB, ENPS 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 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
F490 3028 6 - FLK NN CARA-f, LIMB, PLAS-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 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
F4722 3037 6 - FLK NN LIMB, NRL 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 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
F4725 3040 6 - FLK NN LIMB-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 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
F4726 3041 6 - FLK NN LIMB, PVG, PCG 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 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
OVPP-Herpestes 1 71 7 - FLK North M 104 - Unknown I upper 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 Herpestidae Herpestinae Herpestes sp. The author mentions 4 other teeth found with this specimen but is not sure of their taxonomy. 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
COP-12-45 9630 L-MAN-f, L-M 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania -- Left mandibular fragment with M3. Stratigraphy unknown. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/21 254 - COP Unknown Y Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Hippopotamoidea Hippopotamidae Small 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-158 12449 HAM 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-158; hamate/unciform/uncinate Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla ruminant Artiodactyl No
OLD-117 12407 MAX-f with teeth 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-117; based on note with specimen, may not be from Olduvai Unknown Mammalia Rhino or Hippo Yes
OH 3 3719 10 - BK 280 - 94 d-C , L-d-M 1955 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Upper Upper part of BK channel which cuts into Tuff IID Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. In the first publication of these specimens (Leakey, LSB, 1958), Leakey described the teeth as a deciduous lower canine and a left deciduous upper M2. "This view was not shared by Robinson, von Koenigswald and others, who preferred to regard it as either a permanent or a deciduous upper molar of an australopithecine character" (Leakey, MD, 1970:226). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus Referred to as species boisei in Tobias (Olduvai Gorge volume IV, 1991). No
OLD-829 12921 40 - JK R-M-f 114 - Natural History Museum UK III -- OLD-829; distal fragment of right upper M3 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Suinae Phacochoerini Metridiochoerus previous taxonomic ID: Tapinochoerus meadowsi No
OLD-697 12805 317 - MRK S L-M-f 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-697; left mesial fragment of upper M3; MRK IIS 21.5.35 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Suinae Phacochoerini Metridiochoerus previous taxonomic ID Tapinochoerus meadowsi No
M. 14683 10383 Two upper tusks, probably of the same individual. 1934 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I lower part, Middle Pleistocene Kamasian Pluvial LSB Leakey. 1958. Fossil Mammals of Africa: Some East African Pleistocene Suidae. British Museum. No. 14. British Museum Palaeontology Department 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 1942 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Potamochoerus majus Paratypes. Originally classified as Koiropotamus majus (Hopwood, 1934). Reclassified as Potamochoerus majus (Leakey, 1942). Yes
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
M. 14685 1347 L-MAN-f, L-M 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Hopwood, A. 1934. New fossil mammals from Olduvai, Tanganyika territory. Annals of the Magazine of Natural History. 10: 546-550. 293 - A.T. Hopwood Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Tetraconodontinae Notochoerus dietrichi Paratype- This specimen was referred to as the holotype by Bishop (2010). Bishop also reclassified this sepcimen as Metridiochoerus hopwoodi. No
M. 14686 1349 R-MAN, R-P, R-M 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Hopwood, A. 1934. New fossil mammals from Olduvai, Tanganyika territory. Annals of the Magazine of Natural History. 10: 546-550. The author suggests this specimen is "probably" from Bed II. 293 - A.T. Hopwood Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Giraffoidea Giraffidae Helladotherium olduvaiensis Paratype No
M. 14687 1350 TIB-f, FEM-f, FIB-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I Hopwood, A. 1934. New fossil mammals from Olduvai, Tanganyika territory. Annals of the Magazine of Natural History. 10: 546-550. This specimen is described as a "partial hind-limb". Whether it is a tibia, femur, or fibula is unknown. 293 - A.T. Hopwood Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Giraffoidea Giraffidae Helladotherium olduvaiensis Paratype No
OLD 1960 F200 3714 5 - FLK R-MAN-f, d-P, M 1960 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I Harris, J. M., Solounias, N., and Geraads, D. 2010. Giraffoidea. Werdelin, L., Sanders, W. J., eds. In: Cenozoic Mammals of Africa. London: University of California Press. pp. 393-428. 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. 155 - Harris, Solounias, and Geraads 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Giraffoidea Giraffidae Giraffinae Giraffini Giraffa pygmaea Paratype No
OH 4 3720 8 - MK 281 - 11 P , M , MAN 1959 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Lower Surface. 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. Paratype. Two isolated teeth (lower molar and upper premolar) and one M3 in a mandible. Found in small block of consolidated tuff. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 282 - H. Mukiri 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Paratype No
OH 8 3723 6 - FLK NN 283 - 45 PHX , CAR , TAR , CLA , AST , CAL , CUNE , CUB , NAV , M-f 1960 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. The molar-f was found on the surface and "probably also belongs to OH 8" (Leakey MD, 1971:228). Twelve associated foot bones including astragalus (has carnivore tooth marks (Leakey MD, 1971), calcaneus, cuboid and navicular, cuneiforms 1- 3, proximal ends with shafts, five metatarsals. Proximal ends of one metacarpal and three finger phalanges. One radius shaft. Clavicle with damaged articular ends. Foot articulates "almost perfectly with the OH 35 leg" (Susman, 1983:372). 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Paratype No
OH 13 3728 27 - MNK 287 - 88 "Skull Site" MAN , MAX , CRA-f 1963 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Lower Middle IIB 5 feet above chert horizon Paratpye. "This consists of a sub-adult skull, probably female, with the third molars coming into wear. It is represented by the greater part of the mandible, including the complete dentition, although the crowns of the incisors are damaged and the left ascending ram us is not preserved; the greater part of the maxillae, represented by two fragments both lacking the anterior portions; the greater part of the occipital; the right parietal and temporal; parts of the left parietal and temporal; together with a few frontal fragments and approximately fifty additional pieces which it has not been possible to fit together" (Leakey MD, 1971:231). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 5 pieces found at House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Paratype No
OVPP-Erinaceus 94 1944 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P, M 104 - Unknown I upper 3 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1973. The early Pleistocene hedgehogs from Olduvai, Tanzania. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:7-42. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Lipotyphya Erinaceoidea Erinaceidae Erinaceinae Erinaceus broomi Order has more recently been determined as Insectivora No
OVPP-Soricidae 3 3853 24 - DK MAN I 1 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. Broken left mandible with some worn teeth. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae One 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. This specimen is described as Species III. No