Korean Dinosaur Discoveries: New Species & ‘Dooly’ Skeleton Revealed

A newly discovered species of dinosaur from South Korea has been named Doolysaurus huhmini, after Dooly, a hugely popular cartoon character in the country. The discovery, published in the journal Fossil Record on March 19th, marks the first latest dinosaur species identified in Korea in fifteen years and the first Korean dinosaur fossil found with portions of its skull.

Unearthing a Juvenile Thescelosaurid

The fossil remains were unearthed in 2023 by Hyemin Jo in outcrops of the Ilseongsan Formation on Aphae Island, part of Shinan County, South Korea. The specimen, cataloged as KDRC-SA-V001 at the Korea Dinosaur Research Center of Chonnam National University, represents a juvenile individual. Researchers determined the dinosaur to be a member of the Thescelosauridae family, a group of small, ornithischian dinosaurs that lived during the Cretaceous period.

What makes this find particularly significant is the presence of cranial material. Prior to this discovery, Korean dinosaur fossils lacked diagnostic skull elements, hindering a detailed understanding of their evolutionary relationships. The skull fragments were revealed through a micro-CT scan performed at the University of Texas High-Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography (UTCT) facility, a pioneering center for this technology. “When we first found the specimen, we saw some leg bones preserved and some vertebrae,” explained Jongyun Jung, a postdoctoral researcher at UT’s Jackson School of Geosciences and lead author of the study. “We didn’t expect skull parts and so many more bones. There was a fair amount of excitement when we saw what was hidden inside the block.”

Dooly’s Legacy and the Significance of the Name

The choice of “Doolysaurus” is a direct tribute to the enduring cultural impact of the cartoon character Dooly (도리), created by Lee Hyeon-seung in 1983. As Jung noted, “Dooly is one of the very famous, iconic dinosaur characters in Korea. Every generation in Korea knows this character.” The name also reflects the juvenile nature of the fossil, aligning with Dooly’s depiction as a young dinosaur. The University of Texas at Austin highlighted the character’s widespread recognition in Korean culture.

Thescelosaurids and Early Ornithischian Evolution

Doolysaurus huhmini provides valuable insight into the early evolution of thescelosaurid ornithischians in East Asia. Thescelosaurids were relatively small, bipedal herbivores. The Ilseongsan Formation, where the fossil was found, dates back to the Albian-Cenomanian stages of the mid-Cretaceous period, approximately 113 to 97 million years ago. This places Doolysaurus within a crucial timeframe for understanding the diversification of ornithischian dinosaurs. The discovery also builds on previous findings, as it is the second named basal neornithischian from South Korea, following the identification of Koreanosaurus.

Micro-CT Scanning: A Window into Hidden Anatomy

The success of this discovery is largely attributable to the advanced micro-CT scanning technology employed at UTCT. This technique uses X-rays to create detailed, three-dimensional images of the fossil’s internal structure without damaging the specimen. The UTCT facility has been at the forefront of this technology for nearly three decades, making it accessible to academic researchers worldwide. The ability to visualize the skull fragments within the rock matrix was critical to identifying Doolysaurus as a new species.

What Comes Next: Further Research and Regional Context

The research team plans to continue analyzing the Doolysaurus fossil, hoping to uncover more details about its anatomy and evolutionary relationships. Further excavations in the Ilseongsan Formation are also planned, with the potential to reveal additional dinosaur fossils and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the Cretaceous ecosystem in South Korea. The discovery highlights the growing importance of the Korean peninsula as a region for paleontological research, offering a unique window into the dinosaur fauna of East Asia. The team will also be focusing on comparative anatomy, examining how Doolysaurus relates to other known thescelosaurids and basal neornithischians from around the world. This comparative work will help refine our understanding of the evolutionary history of this group of dinosaurs and their geographic distribution.

You can learn more about dinosaurs at Wikipedia’s Doolysaurus page.