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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
230/1960 192 5 - FLK HOR 1960 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I 13 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 Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella No
P.P.F. 4 209 5 - FLK HOR 1955 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. This specimen may represent a rare bovid from Olduvai. It is pictured in plate 88. 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 No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Thaleroceros This specimen was reclassified as an unidentified Alcelaphine by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
231/1960 213 5 - FLK HOR 1960 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I middle Zinjanthropus layer (22 feet below the upper limit of bed I) and upper layers. 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 Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini No
OVPP-Serpentes 2 233 5 - FLK VER 104 - Unknown I, II Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several snake specimens have been found. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Reptilia Serpentes No
FLK I/E-G 394 1 5 - FLK L-RAM, L-P, L-M 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. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Strepsirrhini Lorisiformes Galagidae Galago senegalensis No
OVPP-Tapinochoerus 2 247 5 - FLK M 1959 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 32. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Suinae Phacochoerini Tapinochoerus sp. No
M. 21463 249 5 - FLK CRA, HOR 1935 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 not described in the text but is shown in plate 84. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella sp. This specimen was reclassified as Antidorcas recki by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
OVPP-Macroscelididae 2 254 5 - FLK UK 104 - Unknown I Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. One juvenile specimen is found but not described. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae No
OVPP-Steatomys 1 256 5 - FLK UK 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. This is a very "constant type" but is never abundant. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Dendromurinae Steatomys sp. No
OVPP-Hystrix 2 260 5 - FLK UK 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Specimens preserved are not details but is rare where it is found. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey Yes Mammalia Rodentia Hystricognatha Hystricognathi Hystricidae Hystricinae Hystrix galatea No
OH 5 3713 5 - FLK 283 - 45 CRA , MAX , M , I , C , P 17 July - 6 August 1959 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Middle (Zinj.) 22 feet below the upper limit of Bed I (Tuff IF), approximately 20 feet above basalt. Leakey, L. S. B. 1959. A new fossil skull from Olduvai. Nature 184:491-493. Holotype. Almost complete cranium. Adolescent. One reconstructed fossil found at House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. Additional pieces from NMK unpublished. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Zinjanthropus boisei Holotype. This specimen was reclassified as Paranthropus boisei by Robinson (1960). 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 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 23 3738 5 - FLK L-MAN-f , L-P , L-M , 1968 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV/Masek Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Left mandible fragment with P4-M2. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. Bed IV in Leakey (1971), referred to as having derived from Masek Beds in other publications (e.g., Millard, 2009). 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus No
OH 37 3752 5 - FLK L-MAN , M , M 1971 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Middle Surface, probably from sandy conglomerate in Middle Bed II. Leakey, M.D. 1978. Olduvai fossil hominids:their stratigraphic positions and associations. In: Jolly, CJ, editor. Early hominids of Africa. London:Duckworth. P. 3-16. Left half mandible with M1-M2. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis No
P.P.F. 4 4339 5 - FLK HOR 1955 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. This specimen may represent a rare bovid from Olduvai. It is pictured in plate 88. 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 No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Thaleroceros This specimen was reclassified as an unidentified Alcelaphine by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
OVPP-Muridae 5 4552 5 - FLK 104 - Unknown Zinjanthropus (22) Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. The author mentions the presence of "various" murids. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
G. 309 6559 5 - FLK NRCR-f, ETHM, SOCC 1960 104 - Unknown I Zinjanthropus (22) Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. At least 7 individuals are represented. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Unknown Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias No
OVPP-Bitis 13 1940 5 - FLK L-MAX 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This specimen is pictured in Plate 1, figures 5-8. 149 - J. C. Rage Yes Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis olduvaiensis Holotype No
OVPP-Bitis 14 1941 5 - FLK MAX-f 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This specimen is pictured in plate 1, figure 9. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis olduvaiensis No
OVPP-Bitis 15 1943 5 - FLK VER 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This unknown viperid may indicate another Bitis. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis No
OVPP-Clariidae 3 2458 5 - FLK NRCR 1960 104 - Unknown "Main dig" Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. It is unclear how many individuals are represented in this specimen. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae No
OVPP-Clarias 28 2780 5 - FLK NRCR-f, PCG-f, VER-f, R/L-ARTC, L-DNTY, URHL, R/L-PAL, R/L-SPINE 1960 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. MNI=7. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Unknown Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
G. 309 2786 5 - FLK NRCR-f, ETHM, SOCC 1960 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. At least 7 individuals are represented. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Unknown Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias No
OVPP-Clarias 29 2787 5 - FLK NRCR, R-DNTY, R-PTER 1960 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias The authors don;t explicitly state that these specimens are of the genus Clarias, but mention it is similar to C. mossambicus. No
OVPP-Clarias 30 2788 5 - FLK FRO, SOCC, SPHT, R-PTRC, L-ETHM 1960 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. It is unclear how many individuals are represented by these specimens. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Unknown Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Cichlidae 17 2789 5 - FLK VER-f, SPINE 1960 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. It is unclear how many individuals are represented by these specimens. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Unknown Actinopterygii Perciformes Cichlidae No
OH 44 3759 5 - FLK R-M 1970 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Zinjanthropus floor Surface. Leakey, M.D. 1978. Olduvai fossil hominids:their stratigraphic positions and associations. In: Jolly, CJ, editor. Early hominids of Africa. London:Duckworth. P. 3-16. Specimen is a crown of upper right M1. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis No
OH 60 3775 5 - FLK M 1982 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Surface. -- Large M3. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei No
OH 75 3790 5 - FLK R-HUM 2009 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania I Zinjanthropus Surface. OLAPP/Earthwatch”Discovered by an Earthwatch project led by F.T. Masao in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and will be described elsewhere.” -R. Clarke (2011) No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea hominidae A. cf. africanus/H. habilis OH 62-like No
OVPP-Myosorex 12 3811 5 - FLK MAN, (n=2) I Zinjanthropus 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 Myosorex robinsoni No
OVPP-Sylvisorex 8 3822 5 - FLK MAN-f, (n=2) I Zinjanthropus 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 Sylvisorex olduvaiensis Described as Suncus cf. lixus by Butler & Greenwood (1965). No
OVPP-Suncus 16 3835 5 - FLK MAN I Zinjanthropus 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-Otomys 5 3859 5 - FLK MAN-f, (n=41), M, (n=143) I Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Mandible fragments have M1-M3. Author states that specimens come from FLKI, FLKNNI layers K, L2, L3, FLKNI layers M1-M6 but does not specify which specimen came from where. Paper is a systematical study and does not provide specific details about each specimen. Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys petteri No
OVPP-Otomys 6 3860 5 - FLK MAN-f, (n=78), M, (n=156) I Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Mandible fragments have M1 and M2. Author states that specimens come from FLKI, FLKNNI layers K, L2, L3, FLKNI layers M1-M6 but does not specify which specimen came from where. Paper is a systematical study and does not provide specific details about each specimen. Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys petteri No
OVPP-Otomys 7 3861 5 - FLK MAN-f, (n=4), M, (n=8) I Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Mandible fragments have M2 and M3. Author states that specimens come from FLKI, FLKNNI layers K, L2, L3, FLKNI layers M1-M6 but does not specify which specimen came from where. Paper is a systematical study and does not provide specific details about each specimen. Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys petteri No
OVPP-Otomys 8 3862 5 - FLK MAN-f, (n=61), M, (n=61) I Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Mandible fragments have M1. Author states that specimens come from FLKI, FLKNNI layers K, L2, L3, FLKNI layers M1-M6 but does not specify which specimen came from where. Paper is a systematical study and does not provide specific details about each specimen. Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys petteri No
OVPP-Otomys 9 3863 5 - FLK MAN-f, M I Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Mandible fragment has M2. Author states that specimens come from FLKI, FLKNNI layers K, L2, L3, FLKNI layers M1-M6 but does not specify which specimen came from where. Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys petteri No
OVPP-Otomys 10 3864 5 - FLK M, (n=62) I Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Specimens are lower M1. Author states that specimens come from FLKI, FLKNNI layers K, L2, L3, FLKNI layers M1-M6 but does not specify which specimen came from where. Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys petteri No
OVPP-Otomys 11 3865 5 - FLK MAX-f, (n=16), M, (n=48) I Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Maxillary fragments have M1, M2 and M3. Author states that specimens come from FLKI, FLKNNI layers K, L2, L3, FLKNI layers M1-M6 but does not specify which specimen came from where. Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys petteri No