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New dinosaur species Doolysaurus huhmini discovered in Korea after 15 years: Named after beloved cartoon

Doolysaurus is believed to have lived during the mid-Cretaceous period

UPDATED MARCH 20, 2026 3:09 PM EDTMAR 20, 2026, 3:09 PM EDT

Scientists have announced the discovery of a new species of dinosaur in South Korea, the first dinosaur species formally described from the Korean Peninsula in fifteen years.

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The fossil find provides fresh insight into mid-Cretaceous ecosystems in East Asia and demonstrates the power of modern imaging technologies in paleontology.

The newly identified dinosaur has been named Doolysaurus huhmini. Its remains, including portions of the skull and skeleton, were unearthed on Aphae Island in the Ilseongsan Formation of South Korea.

Artist’s interpretation of a juvenile Doolysaurus huhmini.

The specimen is particularly significant because it is the first dinosaur fossil from Korea to preserve diagnostic skull material, allowing scientists to identify and classify the species with greater certainty. This discovery also marks the first new dinosaur species described from Korea in roughly fifteen years.

The genus name, Doolysaurus, references “Dooly the Little Dinosaur,” a beloved Korean animated character, reflecting a cultural connection acknowledged by the researchers. The species name, huhmini, honors Min Huh, a prominent Korean paleontologist and founder of the Korea Dinosaur Research Center.

The newly identified dinosaur has been named Doolysaurus huhmini. Its remains, including portions of the skull and skeleton, were unearthed on Aphae Island in the Ilseongsan Formation of South Korea.

The dinosaur is classified as a thescelosaurid ornithischian, a group of small, plant-eating dinosaurs. The holotype specimen consists of a partial skeleton of a juvenile individual, including vertebrae, limb elements, and critical portions of the skull.

Scientists were able to study the fossil in detail using advanced micro-CT scanning technology, which allowed them to examine the skull without damaging the rock matrix.

The genus name, Doolysaurus, references “Dooly the Little Dinosaur,” a beloved Korean animated character, reflecting a cultural connection acknowledged by the researchers.

Skull bones are rare among Korean dinosaur finds, making this discovery especially valuable for understanding dinosaur anatomy and evolution in the region.

Doolysaurus is believed to have lived during the mid-Cretaceous period, roughly 100 million years ago, when the Korean Peninsula was part of a diverse ecosystem.

Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and the Korean Dinosaur Center with a possible dinosaur skeleton on Aphae Island

While information on its precise body size and lifestyle is still emerging, thescelosaurid dinosaurs are generally interpreted as small and herbivorous or omnivorous, consistent with the juvenile specimen’s morphology.

This discovery enriches the fossil record of Korean dinosaurs, previously including genera such as Koreaceratops and Koreanosaurus, and provides new opportunities to explore paleobiogeographic links between Asian and global dinosaur faunas during the Cretaceous.

It also ends a fifteen-year stretch with no new dinosaur species described from the Korean Peninsula, highlighting the importance of continued paleontological research in the region.

Meanwhile, the collaboration between Korean scientists and researchers from the University of Texas at Austin exemplifies the value of international cooperation in uncovering and preserving ancient life.