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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
D. 177 1435 5 - FLK SCP 104 - Unknown I 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
OLD 11613 10173 5 - FLK PHX I Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1984. Fossil owls from early man sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich; Journal of African Ornithology 55:17-27. Posterior phalanx 2 D II. "Place of conservation of the material: The fossils are currently on deposit at the University of Florida, Department of Zoology, and will later be returned to Tanzania" (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1984:19). Either from FLK N or FLK NN. Authors do not specify which of the four phalanges are from each locality, only that there are two from each. Unknown Aves Strigiformes Strigidae Bubo cf. lacteus No
OLD 16049 10174 5 - FLK PHX I Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1984. Fossil owls from early man sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich; Journal of African Ornithology 55:17-27. Posterior phalanx 3 D III. "Place of conservation of the material: The fossils are currently on deposit at the University of Florida, Department of Zoology, and will later be returned to Tanzania" (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1984:19). Either from FLK N or FLK NN. Authors do not specify which of the four phalanges are from each locality, only that there are two from each. Unknown Aves Strigiformes Strigidae Bubo cf. lacteus No
OVPP Tyto 3 10179 5 - FLK PHX I Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1984. Fossil owls from early man sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich; Journal of African Ornithology 55:17-27. Authors do not specify specimen numbers. Three pedal phalanges. "Place of conservation of the material: The fossils are currently on deposit at the University of Florida, Department of Zoology, and will later be returned to Tanzania" (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1984:19). Unknown Aves Strigiformes Strigidae Tyto alba cf. affinis 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
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 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
Specimen not labeled. Found in bag with card written "OLD 1963 FLK II spit 4". 8229 5 - FLK PHX 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Spit 4 -- Distal phalanx. Card in bag with specimen states "OLD 1963, FLK II Spit 4". Other card in bag with specimen states "Primate". Pleistocene. 2012/08/03 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
FLK I/E-G 391 2 5 - FLK L-MAN, L/R-RAM-f, L-P, L-M, R-P, R-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-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
JK2 III A.3271 826 46 - JK 2 d-L-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 Reduncinae Reduncini Kobus kob Although this lower molar is larger than most of the K. kob lineage, the authors believe it belongs to K. kob. No
JK 2 III 068/6692 1116 46 - JK 2 L-P, 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. This specimen is pictured in plate 37, figure 3. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Indet. 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
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
JK 2 III A. 384 1187 46 - JK 2 MAN, 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 Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Indet. This specimen is from a smaller alcelaphine than Parmularius angusticornis or Damaliscus niro. No
OLD-1742 12166 46 - JK 2 PHX 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-1742; in 'Alcelaphini drawer' Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Bovidae Yes
VFK III-IV 150 1076 44 - VFK SKULL, HOR, M, P 104 - Unknown III, IV 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 one of several of a herd found in undivided beds III-IV. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Damaliscus agelaius No
VFK III-IV 235 1077 44 - VFK HOR, M, P 104 - Unknown III, IV 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 one of several of a herd found in undivided beds III-IV. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Damaliscus agelaius No
OF 68.274 762 43 - Bos K SKULL, HOR, M, P 1962 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania III, IV 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. It is the same individual as the horn core OF 68.205. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Syncerus acoelotus No
OVPP-L-1618 10500 41 - WK E 19 Bone fragments, including fish, Bovidae phalanx, and others 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania Unknown Yes
OLD/69 MRC S.132 8048 39 - MRC R-MAX, ZYG-f, P, M, C 1969 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV Surface -- 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. Enclosed card reads "Simopithecus - Parts of maxilla and skull. (total of 43 frags.) MRC Bed 4 (S. 116, 126 & 132)." Specimen from same individual as S. 123, which is labeled "MRC IV surface S. 123". 2012/7/20 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus No
M 103885 12622 39 - MRC R-MAN, d-P (3) 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-447; R-MAN wit d-P2, d-P3, and d-P4; "OLD Y MRC 2 5 10/5/35" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Tragelaphini No
OVPP-Pelorovis 23 1840 39 - MRC PHX 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Gentry, A. W. 1967. Pelorovis oldowayensis Reck, an extinct bovid from East Africa: British Museum. pp. 245-299 This is a first phalanx. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Pelorovis oldowayensis No
OVPP-Pelorovis 24 1845 39 - MRC PHX 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Gentry, A. W. 1967. Pelorovis oldowayensis Reck, an extinct bovid from East Africa: British Museum. pp. 245-299 This is a second phalanx. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Pelorovis oldowayensis No
OLD/70/5939 WK VIII/I 8266 38 - WK PHX 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania VIII I -- Phalanx. Card in bag with specimen states "WK main cha(?) Primate I=papionini." 2012/08/10 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OH 28 3743 38 - WK 290 - 36 L-PVG-f , L-FEM-f 1970 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV a Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Left femoral shaft and left innominate. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus No
OH 42 3757 37 - HWK EE P-f 1972 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Upper 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. Broken crown of upper premolar. 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
HWK EE 1156 1107 37 - HWK EE L-MAN, L-M, L-P 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 Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini No
HWK EE 4302 1108 37 - HWK EE L-MAN-f, L-M, L-P 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 No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini No
OH 51 3766 35 - GTC L-MAND-f, L-P, L-M 1974 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania III Surface. -- Mandible fragment with P4 and M1. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus No
M 103917 12634 35 - GTC R/L-MAN-f, d-P (5) 114 - Natural History Museum UK IV -- OLD-459; Partial left mandible with dP2 and dP4 and partial right mandible with dP2-dP4; "OLD Y GTC IV 27. (illegible)" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini 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
068/6514 3711 34 - MLK CRA, MAX-f, R/L-P, R/L-M 104 - Unknown II middle Leakey, M. G., and Leakey, R. E. F. 1973. Pleistocene Colobinae from East Africa. Leakey, L. S. B., Savage, R. J. G., Coryndon, S. C., eds. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 3. London: Academic Pr This specimen is pictured in plate 3. 154 - Leakey and Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Colobinae Colobini Cercopithecoides kimeui Holotype No
MLK 068/6514 3803 34 - MLK CRA-f, P, M, (n=3) II Lower From horizon above Lemuta Member of Lowed Bed II Leakey MG and Leakey REF. 1973. New large Pleistocene colobinae (Mammalia, Primates) from East Africa. Fossil Vertebrates of Africa Vol. 3, 121-38. Similar to colobine specimen KNM-ER 398 in cranial dimensions. Maxillary dentition represented by P4, M2, M1, M2. Crania is represented by multiple fragments, and some fragments are missing. Large canine socket of right maxilla indicates specimen is male. Specimen is pictured in Plate 3. 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Either Cercopithecinae or Cynopithencinae. Author states that the cranium is typical of Cercopithecinae but that the dental morphology resembles Cynopithecinae. No