Researchers name newly discovered beaver fossil after Buc-ee’s, Texas favourite rest stop

In a major breakthrough after discovering a new species, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have named it after Texas's favourite rest stop, Buc-ee's. The new species will be called "Anchitheriomys buceei," or "A. buceei." Steve May of the UT Jackson of Geosciences, also the research associate in conversation with UT News said that the nave was inspired by the beaver's Texas connection and with a chance that Buc-ee's billboard read, "This is Beaver country."

May added, "I though, 'Yeah, it is beaver country, and it has been for millions of years."

Steve's paper was published in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica where his paper describes the new species as well as a smaller species of fossil beaver. It stated that bones and archival records suggest that the animal lived long along the Texas Gulf Coast between 15 and 22 million years ago.

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According to Fox News, the fossil also shows that A. buceei were 30 per cent larger than modern beavers roaming today in the area.

Most of the fossils have been reconstructed with a help of a partial skull found in Burkeville. These fossils are a fusion of a bone and brain cast created when sediment seeped into the beaver's brain cavity, creating a rock replica of the brain as the species fossilised.

Co-authors, May and Mathew Brown added that they used high-resolution X-ray images of the skull to form new anatomical details that could help in confirming that it is a new species.

Following the news of the species' name, Buc-ee's CEO and founder Arch "Beaver" Aplin III quipped, "Buc-ee’s was founded in 1982, but we may need to rethink our beginnings."

Buc-ee's isso relevant in Texas that even its official Twitter account gave it a shout-out.