A partial skull fossil from the ancient beaver Anchitheriomys buceei (on right) alongside a skull reconstruction. Photo: UT Austin / Jackson School of Geosciences / Matthew Brown
A species of ancient beaver that was rediscovered by researchers in the University of Texas at Austin’s fossil collections has been named after the beloved chain Buc-ee's — known for its toothy cartoon beaver mascot.
Details: Anchitheriomys buceei lived in Texas about 15 million years ago and would have looked similar to beavers today — except it was 30% larger than modern beavers.
What happened: While driving down a highway in 2020, Steve May, a research associate at the UT Jackson School of Geosciences, spotted a Buc-ee’s billboard that said "This is Beaver Country."
- The phrase brought to mind the Texas beaver fossils he had been studying, per a UT news release.
What they're saying: "I thought, 'Yeah, it is beaver country, and it has been for millions of years,'" May said.
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