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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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1523 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
G. 323 1230 5 - FLK R-MAN 1960 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. 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 2, figure A. 137 - A. Gentry 273 - Reck expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella wellsi This specimen was reclassified as Antidorcas recki by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
EF-HR 1963.199 1263 31 - EF-HR R-HOR-f, FRO-f 1963 104 - Unknown 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. 137 - A. Gentry Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella sp. No
FC West 1963.201 1264 29 - FC W R-HOR-f, CRA-f 1963 104 - Unknown 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. 137 - A. Gentry Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella sp. No
HWK EE 1972.2396 1265 37 - HWK EE R-HOR, CRA-f 1972 104 - Unknown II lower 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. 137 - A. Gentry Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella sp. No
FLK N I 067/1009 1281 7 - FLK North R-MTT 104 - Unknown I 3 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 19, figure 2. 137 - A. Gentry Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Caprinae No
HWK East II 891 1299 14 - HWK E HOR-f 104 - Unknown II 2 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 Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Damaliscus sp. The authors suggest this specimen is similar to the D. niro type A specimens but is not similar enough to be assigned to D. niro. No
M. 18779 1312 39 - MRC R-MAX-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Upper, surface? 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 Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini Theropithecus gelada No
EF-HR 63/272 1352 31 - EF-HR R-MTT 1963 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Churcher, C. S. 1982. Oldest ass recovered from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, and the origin of asses. 148 - C. S. Churcher 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Equidae Equinae Equini Equus asinus No
OVPP-Clarias 8 2449 24 - DK R-FRO, SPINE, RAY, VER 1962 104 - Unknown I 1 Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. The authors suggest these elements came form a single individual. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Tilapia 8 2451 24 - DK OPER-f 1962 104 - Unknown I 2 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 Perciformes Cichlidae Pseudocrenilabrinae Tilapini Tilapia No
OVPP-Clarias 16 2551 6 - FLK NN FRO, VER, SPHT, DRMS, R-SUBO, L-OPER, SUPP-f, R/L-ARTC, R-CLEI-f, SPINE, RAY-f 1960 104 - Unknown I 3 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=4. Multiple of each element is represented. These specimens are from trench II, extension E. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Clarias 17 2557 6 - FLK NN R/L-DRMS-f, SOCC, R/L-PTRC, FRO-f, R-EPHL-f, CRHL, L-QUAD, R/L-ARTC, R/L-SPINE 1960 104 - Unknown I 3 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=2 or 3. Authors state that size of the bones suggests 3 individuals. These specimens are from trench III. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Clarias 19 2565 6 - FLK NN SKULL-f, ETHM-f, MSEH-f, R-PTRC, SPHT-f, FRO, SOCC, R/L-PAL, OPER, R/L-EPHL, URHL, RAY, R/L-QUAD, R/L-ARTC, R/L-DNTY, R/L-CLEI, R/L-SPINE, VER 1961 104 - Unknown I 3 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=5. Multiple of each element is represented. These specimens are from trench VI. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Clarias 20 2570 6 - FLK NN SKULL-f, ETHM-f, MSEH, L-FRO, R/L-SPHT, R/L-PSTM, SOCC, R/L-PAL, R-OPER-f, R/L-DRMS, HMND, URHL, RAY, R-QUAD, L-ARTC, R-DNTY-f, R/L-CLEI, R/L-SPINE, VER 104 - Unknown I 3 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=2. These specimens are from trench VI. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Clarias 21 2573 6 - FLK NN FRO, MSEH, SPHT, L-OPER, SKULL-f, L/R-QUAD, L/R-DNTY, RAY-f 104 - Unknown I 3 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=3. These specimens are from trench VI. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Clarias 22 2576 6 - FLK NN L-ETHM, SOCC, SKULL-f, R-PORB, L-PAL, R/L-EPHL, R/L-CRHL, R/L-ARTC, CLEI-f, VER, L/R-QUAD, L-DNTY 1960 104 - Unknown I 2, 3 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=66. Multiple of each element is represented; authors do not specify the numbers for every element. These specimens are from trench II. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Clarias 23 2644 6 - FLK NN SKULL-f, R/L-OPER, ARTC-f, QUAD-f, DNTY-f, URH:, R/L-RAY-f, CLEI-f, VER-f, ARCH-f 1960 104 - Unknown I 2, 3 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=19. Multiple of each element is represented, authors do not specify number for every element. These specimens are from trench II, "long strip". 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Clarias 24 2667 6 - FLK NN SKULL-f, R-SUBO, MSEH, SOCC, R/L-FRO, L-DRMS, PAL, R-QUAD, R/L-ARTC, R-DNTY, URHL, R/L-RAY-f, CLEI-f, VER-f 1960 104 - Unknown I 2, 3 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=49. Multiple of each element is represented, authors do not specify number for every element. Specimens were found in trench III. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Clarias 26 2718 6 - FLK NN SKULL-f, SOCC-f, R/L-PAL, URHL, R-ARTC, R/L-DENTY, R/L-SPINE, VER-f 1960 104 - Unknown I 2 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=9. Multiple of each element is represented, authors do not specify number for every element. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Clarias 27 2728 6 - FLK NN VOM, SKULL-f, FRO, L-SORB, L-SUBO, MSEH-f, L-OPER, IOPL-f, SUPP, CRHL, R/L-EPHL-f, R/L-ARTC, DNTY-f, CLEI-f, R/L-SPINE, VER-f 1960 104 - Unknown I 2 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=49. Multiple of each element is represented, authors do not specify number of every element. These specimens come from trench III 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. 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
01. R. L3-95 3121 6 - FLK NN R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I 3 Jaeger, J.J. 1976. Les rongeurs (Mammalia, Rodentia) du Pleistocene inferieur d’Olduvai Bed I (Tanzanie) 1ere Partie: Les Murides. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 4:58-120. This specimen is pictured in plate 1, figure A. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Oenomys olduvaiensis Holotype No
01. R. L3-88 3122 6 - FLK NN R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I 3 Jaeger, J.J. 1976. Les rongeurs (Mammalia, Rodentia) du Pleistocene inferieur d’Olduvai Bed I (Tanzanie) 1ere Partie: Les Murides. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 4:58-120. This specimen is pictured in plate 1, figure A. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Grammomys sp. No
01. R. L3-89 3123 6 - FLK NN R-MAN-f, M 104 - Unknown I 3 Jaeger, J.J. 1976. Les rongeurs (Mammalia, Rodentia) du Pleistocene inferieur d’Olduvai Bed I (Tanzanie) 1ere Partie: Les Murides. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 4:58-120. This specimen is pictured in plate 1, figure A. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Grammomys sp. No
01. R. K-199 3124 5 - FLK R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Jaeger, J.J. 1976. Les rongeurs (Mammalia, Rodentia) du Pleistocene inferieur d’Olduvai Bed I (Tanzanie) 1ere Partie: Les Murides. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 4:58-120. This specimen is pictured in plate 2, figures A and B. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Arvicanthis primaevus Holotype No
01. R. K-533 3125 5 - FLK R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Jaeger, J.J. 1976. Les rongeurs (Mammalia, Rodentia) du Pleistocene inferieur d’Olduvai Bed I (Tanzanie) 1ere Partie: Les Murides. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 4:58-120. This specimen is pictured in plate 2, figure E. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Aethomys lavocati Holotype No
01. R. M5-222 3126 7 - FLK North R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I 5 Jaeger, J.J. 1976. Les rongeurs (Mammalia, Rodentia) du Pleistocene inferieur d’Olduvai Bed I (Tanzanie) 1ere Partie: Les Murides. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 4:58-120. This specimen is pictured in plate 2, figure C. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Pelomys dietrichi Holotype No
01. R. K-314 3130 5 - FLK R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Jaeger, J.J. 1976. Les rongeurs (Mammalia, Rodentia) du Pleistocene inferieur d’Olduvai Bed I (Tanzanie) 1ere Partie: Les Murides. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 4:58-120. This specimen is pictured in plate 3, figure D. 153 - J. Jaeger Yes Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Zelotomys leakeyi Holotype 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
OH 10 3725 7 - FLK North 283 - 45 R-PHX 1961 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Upper (level 5) 3.5 feet below marker Tuff IF at top of Bed I Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Terminal first phalanx. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 154 - Leakey and Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini No
OH 38 3753 22 - SC R-M , I , I 1971 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Upper >IID Fluvo-lacustrine 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. Molar is right M2. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei 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
OH 56 3771 24 - DK L-PAR-f 1976 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Lower -- Three conjoining parietal fragments in region of bregma. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis No
OH 68 3783 18 - VEK Mand-f, R-P-f 2001 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania II Lower Mandible fragment with unerupted P4 and root of M1. Specimen is pictured in the middle in image 1. Specimen is shown in the middle of the top row in image 2. Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus africanus OH 13-like 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
OVPP-Cichlidae 10 6541 6 - FLK NN RAY-f, VER-f 1960 104 - Unknown I 3 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. The specimens are from trench VI. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Perciformes Cichlidae No
OVPP-543 9914 CRA-f, HOR-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Lower 1/2m above Tuff IA. 5m above OVPP-542, just below tuff with vesicles, reworked, little pebbles. -- Needs prep. Partial cranium with horn cores. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/30 253 - OVPP Yes Y Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OVPP-576 9949 CRA-f, L/R-M 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Lower Right on top of ignimbrite. -- Partial cranium with left M1-2 and right M1-3. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/30 253 - OVPP Yes Y Mammalia Proboscidea Tethytheria Behemota Deinotheriidae Deinotherium No
OAS 448 10146 14 - HWK E R-HUM-f 1989-2008 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania II Lowermost Prassack KA. 2014. Landscape distribution and ecology of Plio-Pleistocene avifaunal communities from Lowermost Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Human Evolution. 70:1-15. Specimen is labeled A in image: posterior view of proximal right humerus. "These fossils are currently being utilized in the publication of the author’s dissertation research wherein they have been given OAS (Olduvai Avian Specimen) numbers. Once the dissertation is completed, they will be returned to the OLAPP laboratory in Arusha, Tanzania, where they will be assigned OLAPP sequence numbers (Prassack, 2014)." 257 - OLAPP Yes Aves Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae Phalacrocorax cf. carbo No
OAS 136 10147 14 - HWK E R-HUM 1989-2008 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania II Lowermost Prassack KA. 2014. Landscape distribution and ecology of Plio-Pleistocene avifaunal communities from Lowermost Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Human Evolution. 70:1-15. Specimen is labeled B in image: anterior view of complete right humerus. "These fossils are currently being utilized in the publication of the author’s dissertation research wherein they have been given OAS (Olduvai Avian Specimen) numbers. Once the dissertation is completed, they will be returned to the OLAPP laboratory in Arusha, Tanzania, where they will be assigned OLAPP sequence numbers (Prassack, 2014)." 257 - OLAPP Yes Aves Anseriformes Anatidae Anas cf. crecca No