March 29, 2023 - 9:00am | By Kyle Cornell
(Austin, TX) -- A fossilized species of beaver discovered more than 80-years ago is being named after Buc-ee's.
The popular Texas chain of country stores has a hat-wearing beaver as its mascot.
Researchers at UT Austin rediscovered the fossils of a previously unknown ancient beaver species inside the school's fossil collections. They've named the species "A. buceei," after the chain store and its cartoon mascot.
A partial beaver skull fossil was discovered in 1941, and a museum curator died before he could officially name the new species.