A fly fossil of 110 million years ago is named after ‘Gangnam Style’

A Korean and Russian research team is garnering attention by using “Gangnam Style” of singer Psy to name a fly fossil estimated to be of 100 million years ago.

According to British science news portal Phys.org on Thursday, professor Nam Ki-soo at the Gongju National University of Education and researcher Alexandr Kramov at the Borissiak Paleontological Institute announced a fly fossil found in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, on international journal Alcheringa on December 12 with name Buccinatormyia gangnami.

It is the first time that a fly fossil was reported in academia from the Cretaceous Jinju formation on the Korean Peninsula. Nam said that researcher Kramov suggested to name it after Gangnam Style because it is the first thing that comes up his mind when he thinks of Korea. The “I” at the end of the name means a person. “Kramov thought Gangnam was a person, which is why there is an ‘I’ at the end of Gangnam,” said Nam.

Six fly fossils in total were found. Their average size is twice as big as flies we can see at home. They are estimated to have lived around 110 million years ago. They have an anlia around 5mm long in front of their head. The research team estimates that flies would have lived on sugary water in flowers.


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