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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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1690 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
M. 21466 116 MAN, P, M 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II, IV Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in plates 36 and 37. The author indicates this species is well represented in Beds 2 and 4, suggesting other materials may be available in the BMNH. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Giraffoidea Giraffidae Giraffinae Giraffini Giraffa jumae Holotype No
1963.2765 769 10 - BK MAN, P, M 1963 104 - Unknown 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 No
SHK II 793 1370 19 - SHK MAN, P, M, I 1957 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 No
BK II 152 1371 10 - BK MAN, P, M, I 1952 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 No
MLK Unknown Gazella 1 1372 34 - MLK MAN, P, M, I 1955 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 No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella No
9317 3891 7 - FLK North MAN, P, (n=6), M, (n=2), C I Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is a right and a left mandible with P3-M1 and C-M1. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Otocyon recki No
9317 7652 7 - FLK North MAN, P, (n=6), M, (n=2), C I Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is a right and a left mandible with P3-M1 and C-M1. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Otocyon recki No
761 3890 7 - FLK North MAN, P, (n=5), M, (n=3), C I Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is a left and right mandible with P3, M1 and C-M2. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Otocyon recki No
761 7651 7 - FLK North MAN, P, (n=5), M, (n=3), C I Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is a left and right mandible with P3, M1 and C-M2. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Otocyon recki No
OVPP-Elephantulus 48 2894 MAN, M, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 5 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1976. Elephant-shrews (Macroscelididae) from Olduvai and Makapansgat. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 4. pp. 1-56. 150 - Butler and Greenwood 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus broomi No
OLD 1472 3694 63 - JLK MAN, M, P 1957 104 - Unknown IV Leakey, L., and Whitworth, T. 1958. Notes on the genus Simopithecus, with a description of a new species from Olduvai. This specimen is pictured in plate 4, figure 1; plate 5, figure 1; plate 6, figure 1; plate 8, plate 9, and plate 10. All descriptions of this specimen indicate that the pictured specimen is the holotype. In plate 4, however, the description reads female S. jonathani so it is unclear whether this is the same specimen or not. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus jonathani Holotype No
OVPP-Elephantulus 48 6661 MAN, M, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 5 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1976. Elephant-shrews (Macroscelididae) from Olduvai and Makapansgat. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 4. pp. 1-56. 150 - Butler and Greenwood 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus broomi No
SHK II 1957.256 1119 19 - SHK MAN, M, 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. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Indet. No
BK II 1957.979 1123 10 - BK MAN, M, 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. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Indet. No
MNK II 136 1147 27 - MNK MAN, M, 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. 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 1963.1065 1152 10 - BK MAN, M, P 1963 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 Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini This specimen is probably of Parmularius angusticornis or Damaliscus niro. It could also be from Connochaetes. No
JK 2 III A. 2091 1157 46 - JK 2 MAN, M, P 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 Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini No
JK 2 III B.FQ4-10 1160 46 - JK 2 MAN, M, 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. 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 1957.1452 1185 10 - BK MAN, M, 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. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Indet. This specimen is from a smaller alcelaphine than Parmularius angusticornis or Damaliscus niro. No
DK I 36 1284 24 - DK MAN, M, P 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 Tragelaphus strepsiceros maryanus No
FLK I G. 067/1100 1287 5 - FLK MAN, M, P 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 Tragelaphus strepsiceros maryanus No
G. 356 102 5 - FLK MAN, L/R-P, L/R-M, L/R-C, L/R-I 1960 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 23. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Suinae Suini Promesochoerus mukiri Holotype No
1273/1957 57 MAN, L/R-P, L-C, L/R-M 1957 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. The author alludes to a skull and mandible that had not yet been described at the time of publication in 1965. 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 Carnivora Feliformia Felidae Pantherinae Panthera indet. No
OLDUVAI BK II 8069 10 - BK MAN, L/R-M, L/R-P, L/R-C, L/R-I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II -- Packed in National Museum in Nairobi, Kenya in box 188 or 189 labeled "Cercopithecidae" for transport to National Museum of History, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Juvenile mandible. Ramus not preserved. Left and right I1-2, C, PM 3-4, and M1-2, and left M3 present. Right M3 absent. 2012/07/23 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OVPP-Erinaceus 43 1986 7 - FLK North MAN, I-f, P, M 104 - Unknown I upper '123' 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 Insectivora Erinaceoidea Erinaceidae Erinaceinae Erinaceus broomi No
SHK II 1957.618 854 19 - SHK MAN, d-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 from a juvenile. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas No
BK II 1963.067/1635 1303 10 - BK MAN, d-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. This is an immature individual. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Indet. No
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-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
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-L-1055 10334 22 - SC M , POD 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania Box: SC. 5 specimens: OLD/71.SC.251, OLD/71.SC.411, OLD/71.SC.780, OLD/71.SC.882, OLD/71.SC.1160 Unknown Mammalia No
OVPP-306 7984 M, P 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Upper 1/2 meter above Tuff 1F. -- 2 molars and a premolar? Needs preparation. Needs washing. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/11 253 - OVPP Yes Y Mammalia Proboscidea Tethytheria Behemota Deinotheriidae Deinotherium No
OVPP-317 7995 M, P 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Lower 1 meter above Bed I lavas. -- Maxillary molar (A) and premolar (B). 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/11 253 - OVPP No Y Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OVPP-396 9767 M, P 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Lower 2 meters above Tuff 1F. -- Maxillary molar and associated mandibular premolar. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/24 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Equidae No
OVPP-L-41 4008 M, P, L-MAN-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania -- Specimen label: OLD-88-24?1-5. Box #: OLD881-E. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/6/29 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OVPP-Ichneumia 3 3907 7 - FLK North M, (n=2), P I A Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Author lists elements together but does specify if they come from a single individual. Molars are lower M1 and M2. Premolar is lower P3. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Ichneumia albicauda No
OVPP-257 7935 LIMB-f, VER-f, PHX 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle -- Long bone (A), Vertebral body (B), and Phalanx (C) 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/08 253 - OVPP No Reptilia No
OVPP-274 7952 32 - MNK Main LIMB-f, PHX 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle Found right beside OGAP trench at MNK Main excavation. -- Distal limb and phalanx. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/08 253 - OVPP Yes Y Aves 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
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