Researchers have discovered a fish in northern Australia that can stay out of water and breathe on land for up to six days.

The newly discovered fish could cause a major disaster for wildlife. The fish having lungs as well as gills is a native of Papua New Guinea. It takes life of its prey through choking, said researchers who affirmed that the fish swells up inside its windpipes and then chokes birds and fish to death.

So far, only a few have been seen in Australia. Ecologist Nathan Waltham was of the view that if the fish has been seen in area where it is not commonly found then it can disrupt the balance of that habitat. It could be considered as an aggressive invasive species in Australia.

The fish, Anabas testudineus, is native to Southeast Asia. In 2005, it was spotted on islands near mainland Australia and now, it is being said that it can make it all the way to the continent. Nathan Waltham, a senior researcher in wetland ecology at James Cook University is of the belief that the fish is quite tolerant to saltwater than thought before. Therefore, there are chances that it could make its way to Australia.

Waltham has seen the species showing tolerance for salt and dominance over local species. "In our trip up there in December we found it in some hyper saline water holes, so there is some ability to resist exposure", said Waltham.