9-year-old Australian boy discovers new species of box jellyfish

Australian scientists have identified new species of box jellyfish that was discovered in a Gold Coast canal by a nine-year-old boy, however the discovery raises concerns about its deadly cousin.

Chiropsella Saxoni - named after Saxon Thomas, the nine-year- old Australian boy who discovered it in 2013 - also known as the " pygmy box jellyfish," is only about two-and-a-half centimeter long.

"It's a really, really little guy, cute as can be," Queensland Museum jellyfish expert Dr Lisa-Ann Gershwin told Australia's national broadcaster on Thursday.

Gershwin said there is no reason to believe it is lethal as the type of sting that it would give would be very minor due to its size.

"I mean it probably hurts, but that's about it," Gershwin said.

However, Gershwin warned the discovery of the pygmy box jellyfish could be a sign that larger, potential lethal box jellyfish that is normally found in northern Australian waters is on the move.

"The ecology of this species appears to be similar to the deadly box jellyfish," Gershwin said. "If the pygmy box jellyfish can survive and thrive at the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast in the canals, I think this really give us probably a good hint that so can the deadly one."

The deadly Box Jellyfish is usually found in waters approximately 1,400 km away, primarily between November and May.

Gershwin said she is grateful for Saxon to have been so persistent about getting the new species brought to the attention of Australia's scientific community. Endi