According to a study published in the Fossil Record, paleontologists in South Korea have identified a new dinosaur species, the first of its kind ever found there. They did so using a rare partial skull and named the new species after a beloved Korean cartoon character.
The Doolysaurus huhmini fossil was found on Aphae Island in the Ilseongsan Formation by a team that, from the sound of it, didn’t really have high hopes of finding much of anything. To their surprise, they definitely found something, and it’s a big one. Though not quite in stature.
This particular specimen of Doolysaurus huhmini, which was found inside dense rock and reconstructed using micro-CT scanning, is about the size of a turkey and looks like it was at most two years old based on the growth markers in its femur. Scientists theorize that adults may have been roughly twice the size. It was also likely adorable, as the researchers suspect that it may have had a fuzzy body covering, giving it a soft, birdlike appearance.
A New Dinosaur Species Was Discovered in South Korea, and It’s Named After a Cartoon
The name Doolysaurus comes from “Dooly,” a popular cartoon dinosaur in South Korea, named for its age and theorized adorable looks. The huhmini part is in respect to Professor Min Huh, a leader of the Korean paleontological community who helped preserve significant fossil sites.
Doolysaurus huhmini is classified as a thescelosaurid, a group of small bipedal dinosaurs previously found in Asia and North America. This particular discovery adds credence to the idea that this family might have originated in Asia. Stomach stones suggest it was an omnivore, mostly munching on plants and insects, possibly incorporating small vertebrates into its diet as it aged.
It is relatively common for researchers to find evidence of fossilized dinosaur tracks and eggs, but actual fossilized dinosaur bones are much rarer. So rare that Doolysaurus huhmini is the first new dinosaur species to be identified in South Korea in 15 years.
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