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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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410 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
01. R. M6-530 3672 L-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown 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 species is found at FLK NNI layers 2 and 3; FLK NI layers 1-6; FLK I. It is unclear where individual specimens were recovered. 153 - J. Jaeger Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Aethomys lavocati No
01. R. K-536 3677 R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown 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 species is found at FLK NNI layers 2 and 3; FLK NI layers 1-6; FLK I. It is unclear where individual specimens were recovered. 153 - J. Jaeger Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Aethomys lavocati No
01. R. K-537 3678 R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown 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 species is found at FLK NNI layers 2 and 3; FLK NI layers 1-6; FLK I. It is unclear where individual specimens were recovered. 153 - J. Jaeger Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Aethomys lavocati No
01. R. M4-561 3692 R-MAX-f, M 104 - Unknown 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 species is found at FLK NNI layers 2 and 3; FLK NI layers 1-6; FLK I. It is unclear where individual specimens were recovered. 153 - J. Jaeger Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Aethomys lavocati 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
OVPP-Otomys 12 3866 5 - FLK MAX-f, (n=15), M, (n=30) I Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Maxilla 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. Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys petteri No
OVPP-Otomys 13 3867 5 - FLK MAX-f, (n=12), M, (n=24) I Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Maxilla 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. Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys petteri No
OVPP-Otomys 14 3868 5 - FLK MAX-f, (n=9), M, (n=9) I Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Maxilla 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. Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys petteri No
OVPP-Otomys 15 3869 5 - FLK MAX-f, (n=22), M, (n=22) I Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Maxilla fragments have 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 16 3870 5 - FLK MAX-f, (n=5) I Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Maxilla fragments have 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
OVPP-Otomys 20 3967 5 - FLK MAN-f, (n=185), M, (n=187), MAX-f, (n=80) I K,1,2,3; M1-6 Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Mandible assemblage consists of 41 with M/123, 78 with M/12, 4 with M/23, 61 with M/1, 1 with M/2. Molar assemblage consists of 62 M/1, 28 M1/, 26 M2/ and 71 M3/. Maxilla assemblage consists of 16 with M123/, 13 with M12/, 12 with M23/, 22 with M2/, 5 with M3/. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/6/28 Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys No
OVPP-Megadermidae 1 19 7 - FLK North MAX 104 - Unknown I upper 3 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Unidentified megadermid. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Chiroptera Megadermidae No
OVPP-Nasilio 1 14 7 - FLK North MAX 104 - Unknown I upper 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Abundant in layers 5 and above and particularly abundant in layers 3 and 2. Several maxillary specimens found. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Nasilio sp. No
OVPP-Elephantulus 4 2850 7 - FLK North MAX-f, M, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 5 2851 7 - FLK North MAX-f, M, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 123 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 6 2852 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 7 2853 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1976. Elephant-shrews (Macroscelididae) from Olduvai and Makapansgat. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 4. pp. 1-56. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 8 2854 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 1 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 9 2855 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P, C 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 10 2856 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P, C 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 2 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 11 2857 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P-d, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 12 2858 7 - FLK North MAX-f, P-d, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 16 2862 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P, I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 18 2864 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 19 2865 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 123 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 20 2866 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 21 2867 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P, C 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 123 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 22 2868 7 - FLK North MAX, M, P 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 123 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 23 2869 7 - FLK North MAX, P, I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 24 2870 7 - FLK North MAX, P, C, I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 25 2871 7 - FLK North MAX, M 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 26 2872 7 - FLK North MAX, M 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 123 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi No
OVPP-Elephantulus 27 2873 7 - FLK North MAX, P, I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 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 Yes Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus fuscus leakeyi 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
OH 11 3726 24 - DK 285 - 13 PAL , L-MAX-f , TOOTH-f 1962 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Ndutu Lower Found in stream bed at bottom of gully near DK excavations. See curatorial notes for details. Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Left half of palate and maxillary arch, crowns of teeth not preserved. "It is thus impossible to assign to any stratigraphic level, although the condition of the bone, which bears a pinkish tinge, is similar to that seen in fossil bones from a conglomerate at the head of the DK gully belonging to the lower Ndutu Beds" (Leakey MD, 1971:230). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 154 - Leakey and Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo sp. No
OH 12 3727 18 - VEK 286 - 86 OCC , L/R-PAR , L/R-TEM-f , CRA-f , L-PAL , L-MAX , TOOTH-f 1962 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV? a Surface. Found on eroded slope of Bed III. L-TEM-f from just below marker Tuff IVa. Leakey, L., and Leakey, M. 1964. Recent discoveries of fossil hominids in tanganyika: at Olduvai and near Lake Natron. Nature 202:5-7. Crowns of teeth not preserved. Bed IVA determined on basis of matrix adhering to L-TEM-f and PAL. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No L-TEM-f & PAL found with matrix adhering. Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus 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
OH 65 3780 82 - 64 MAX , TOOTH 1995 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania I Middle/Upper Blumenschine, R. J., Peters, C. R., Masao, F. T., et al. 2003. Late Pliocene Homo and Hominid Land Use from Western Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Science 299, 1217-1221. Author describes specimen as "complete maxilla with all teeth and lower face of adult". Specimen is pictured in images 1-11. (Images from R. Clarke 2011). Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Large habilis No
OVPP-Hippopotamus 1 112 CRA, MAX, MAN 104 - Unknown I, II, IV Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. The author mentions several specimens from beds 1, 2, and 4. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Hippopotamoidea Hippopotamidae Hippopotaminae Hippopotamus gorgops No
OVPP-336 8014 R-MAX-f, R-M 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Upper 2 meters below Tuff 1F. -- Right maxillary fragment with M1-M3. Needs significant preparation. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/11 253 - OVPP No Y Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Hippopotamoidea Hippopotamidae No