When 24-year-old Joshua Oliva went to do his usual insect hunting for a semester project, he never thought he'd make a significant discovery.

An undergrad student at the University of California Riverside, Oliva came across what he thought was an ordinary bug — a firefly — in Topanga Canyon, Calif., in mid-May.

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He then presented his newly collected specimen to Entomology Research Museum senior scientist Doug Yanega , who identified the creature right on the spot.

"He ID'd it on the spot," said Oliva, according to The Orange County Register.

Turns out Oliva indeed found a firefly only that Yanega told him it was an entirely new species as it is said to be instantly recognizable as unique.

"(Oliva) came to me and said, 'Can you check this and make sure I got this right?'" said Yanega. "I was like, 'That's a new species.'"

"I know the local fauna well enough that within minutes I was able to tell him he had found something entirely new to science. I don't think I've seen a happier student in my life," he added in a press release, Daily Times Gazette reported.

The newly discovered firefly species measures nearly half a centimeter in length, has an orange and black color with a radiant tail, Empire State Tribune has learned.

Yanega then sent photos of the firefly to Marc Branham and Joe Cicero, the experts at the University of Florida who supported the assessment.

Branham said there are currently 56 known species of fireflies in Florida, greater than the 18 species in California.

There are reportedly fewer fireflies in the western part of U.S. and those found in the West Coast are only bioluminescent while they are in larval stage. 

The glowing creatures are said to also prefer wet habitats where there favorite snack snails are present.

Despite being known to be active only during summer, Yanega said that each new specimen discovery occurred somewhere between the months of May and July.

For his entomology class, Oliva was tasked to capture 300 insects each of which, including the firefly, had to be mounted and identified. His discovery didn't earn him any extra credits in class though.

TagsFirefly, New Species, discovery, Science