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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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3807 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
FLK N I 758 1420 7 - FLK North MTT-f 1960 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. Distal end of a metatarsal. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella No
FLK N I Unknown Antilopini 1 1421 7 - FLK North MTT-f 1960 104 - Unknown I 1, 2, 3 Gentry, A. W. 1966 Fossil Antilopini of East Africa. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History, Geology. 12: 43-106. 9 pls. Unnumbered distal end of a metatarsal. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella No
FLK N I Unknown Antilopini 2 1422 7 - FLK North MTT-f 1960 104 - Unknown I 1 Gentry, A. W. 1966 Fossil Antilopini of East Africa. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History, Geology. 12: 43-106. 9 pls. Unnumbered distal end of a metatarsal. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella No
FLK N I 613 1423 7 - FLK North MTT-f 1960 104 - Unknown Gentry, A. W. 1966 Fossil Antilopini of East Africa. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History, Geology. 12: 43-106. 9 pls. Distal end of a metatarsal 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella No
KK I 248 1424 58 - KK MTT-f 1959 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. Proximal end. The author suggests this could "easily be from the same individual" as KK 249. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella No
KK 249 1425 58 - KK MTT-f 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
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
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
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
OVPP-Cichlidae 14 2663 6 - FLK NN OPER, VER-f, HMND-f, PTER, SPINE-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=3. The specimens are from trench II. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Unknown Actinopterygii Perciformes Cichlidae Pseudocrenilabrinae Tilapini Tilapia This specimen is "probably Tilapia." No
OVPP-Muridae 1 35 5 - FLK P, M, I, C, MAN, MAX 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. Several unidentified murids 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
OVPP-Muridae 2 37 6 - FLK NN P, M, I, C 104 - Unknown I middle 1 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 No Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
OVPP-Muridae 3 38 6 - FLK NN P, M, I, C 104 - Unknown I middle 2, 3 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several specimens of unidentified murids. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
OVPP-Muridae 4 40 7 - FLK North P, M, I, C 104 - Unknown I upper 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several specimens of unidentified murids are present. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae The author is unsure of the taxonomy. No
OH 4 3720 8 - MK 281 - 11 P , M , MAN 1959 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Lower Surface. 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. Paratype. Two isolated teeth (lower molar and upper premolar) and one M3 in a mandible. Found in small block of consolidated tuff. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 282 - H. Mukiri 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Paratype No
OVPP-626 9999 P-f, M-f, L/R-I 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Lower Surface 6m below Tuff IB; sandy calcareous clays. -- Fragment of mandibular P4, fragment of molar, and right mandibular I2, right maxillary I1. Four teeth- labeled A, B, C, and D. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/07/02 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae 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
M. 14682 10382 Part of a left mandibular ramus with P3-M1 and the alveolus for P2. 1934 114 - Natural History Museum UK IV upper part, Middle Pleistocene Kanjeran Pluvial LSB Leakey. 1958. Fossil Mammals of Africa: Some East African Pleistocene Suidae. British Museum. No. 14. 1934 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Potamochoerus majus Holotype. Originally classified as Koiropotamus majus (Hopwood, 1934). Reclassified as Potamochoerus majus (Leakey, 1942). Unknown
OVPP-406 9777 PHX, LIMB 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Lower On top of Tuff 1F. -- Phalanx and long bone. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/24 253 - OVPP No Reptilia No
OH 8 3723 6 - FLK NN 283 - 45 PHX , CAR , TAR , CLA , AST , CAL , CUNE , CUB , NAV , M-f 1960 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. The molar-f was found on the surface and "probably also belongs to OH 8" (Leakey MD, 1971:228). Twelve associated foot bones including astragalus (has carnivore tooth marks (Leakey MD, 1971), calcaneus, cuboid and navicular, cuneiforms 1- 3, proximal ends with shafts, five metatarsals. Proximal ends of one metacarpal and three finger phalanges. One radius shaft. Clavicle with damaged articular ends. Foot articulates "almost perfectly with the OH 35 leg" (Susman, 1983:372). 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Paratype No
OVPP-L-95 4063 PM 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania -- Specimen label: OLD-88-279-1-S. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/06 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OLD 15740 10156 6 - FLK NN PMAX I Layer 3 Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1984. Fossil owls from early man sites of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ostrich; Journal of African Ornithology 55:17-27. PARATYPE. "Paratypes: The following specimens are from layer 3 of locality FLK NNI and can be attributed to the same individual as the holotype: 15740, premaxillae; 3301, lower part of right coracoid. 15364 and 15473, proximal and distal parts of left femur; 16377, distal part of right femur; 15701, distal part of left tibiotarsus; 15776, left fibula; 16262, proximal part of right tarsometatarsus; 15730, distal part of left tarsometatarsus; 15942, 15946, 16050, 16171, 16174, 16176 to 16180, 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, 1984:17, 19). Image notes: (Scale = 2 cm) A-B: Left coracoid, holotype, OLD 15802, FLK NNI, layer 3, A anterior face, B posterior face. C: Right tarsometatarsus, proximal part, paratype, OLD 16262, FLK NNI, scree, anterior face. D: Left tarsometatarsus, distal part, paratype, OLD 15730, FLK NNI, layer 3, anterior face. E-F: Left femur, proximal half, paratype, OLD 15364, FLK NNI, layer 2+3, E anterior face, F POSterior face. G-H: Left femur, distal part, paratype, OLD 15473, FLK NNI, layer 3, G anterior face, H posterior face. I: Left tarsometatarsus, almost complete, OLD 11574, FLK NI, layer 1, anterior face. J-K: Left femur, lacking the distal part, OLD 11586, FLK NI, layer 2, J anterior face, K posterior face. Unknown Aves Strigiformes Strigidae Bubo leakeyae No
OVPP-P-65 13345 PREMAX-MAX (incisors; R. C-P4, L. C-M1)-f -- OLD-63 DKI, L-12. CAST Unknown Yes
OVPP-L-1654 10517 86 - HK Proximal ulna 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania Unknown Bovidae Yes
OVPP-Struthio 8 10153 PVG-f , LUM 1931 114 - Natural History Museum UK I Lowe PR. 1933. On Some Struthious remains:1. Description of some pelvic remains of a large fossil ostrich, Struthio oldawayi, from the L. Pleistocene of Oldaway (Tanganyika Territory). 75(4): 652-8. HOLOTYPE. 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Aves Struthioniformes Struthioni Struthionides Struthionidae Struthio Oldawayi No
FLK NI 8031 10227 7 - FLK North R-CARMET 1960-2 I Haarhoff, P.J. 1993. Latest Pliocene mousebirds (Aves, Coliidae) from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ann S Afr Mus. 103:191–211. Right carpometacarpus lacking metacarpal III, metacarpal I, and posterior carpal trochlea. "The specimen numbers are catalogue numbers of the Olduvai fossil birds, and the data are kept at the Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville. The fossils belong to the Tanzanian Ministry of Antiquities, Dar es Salaam. They were collected by Mary Leakey in 1960-1962" (Haarhoff, 1993:193). Unknown Aves Coliiformes Coliidae Colius cf. striatus No
OAS 354 10149 14 - HWK E R-CARMET-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 D in image: ), anterior view of right proximal carpometacarpus. "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 cf. Cygnus aff. olor No
341 6586 19 - SHK R-ETHM 1957 104 - Unknown II 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 Unknown Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
341 2815 19 - SHK R-ETHM 1957 104 - Unknown II 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 Unknown Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
1311 3901 7 - FLK North R-FEM, R-TIB I 4 Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Ichneumia albicauda No
1311 7662 7 - FLK North R-FEM, R-TIB I 4 Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Ichneumia albicauda No
SHK II E 1203 5395 62 - SHK E R-FEM 104 - Unknown 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 Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus No
1952 BK II 267 1760 10 - BK R-FEM 1952 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 from the same individual as 1952 BK II 268. It is pictured in plate 4. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Pelorovis oldowayensis No
SHK II E 1203 1320 62 - SHK E R-FEM 104 - Unknown 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 Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus 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
175 3937 R-FEM I/II Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is distal extremity of a right femur. Author lists specimen in an assemblage that is described as coming from FLK N, FLK NN, KK, BK, and DK but does not specifically assign site. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/6/25 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
FLK NNI 15356 10188 6 - FLK NN R-FEM 1960-2 I Haarhoff, P.J. 1993. Latest Pliocene mousebirds (Aves, Coliidae) from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Ann S Afr Mus. 103:191–211. "The specimen numbers are catalogue numbers of the Olduvai fossil birds, and the data are kept at the Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville. The fossils belong to the Tanzanian Ministry of Antiquities, Dar es Salaam. They were collected by Mary Leakey in 1960-1962" (Haarhoff, 1993:193). Unknown Aves Coliiformes Coliidae Colius cf. striatus No
1931 II 1221 8547 R-FEM 1913 116 - Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (BSPG), Munich, Germany Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:8-104. Complete, juvenile. Label/publication taxon ID: Gorgon taurinus semiticus. Reck Field No.: VI 151. 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Megalotragus kattwinkeli Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. No
1931 II 1223 8548 R-FEM 1913 116 - Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (BSPG), Munich, Germany Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:8-104. Complete, juvenile. Label/publication taxon ID: Gorgon taurinus semiticus. Reck Field No.: VII 666. 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Megalotragus kattwinkeli Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. No
1931 II 1228 8549 R-FEM 1913 116 - Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (BSPG), Munich, Germany Black E. 1937. Fossil Antelopes of Olduvai. Scientific results of the Olduvai Expedition 1913:8-104. Complete, juvenile. Label/publication taxon ID: Gorgon taurinus semiticus. Reck Field No.: VII 563. 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Megalotragus kattwinkeli Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. No