Invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

are introduced organisms that cause damage to the environment, human economy, or human health in Florida.

Native plant In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is equ ...

s and animals can become threatened by from the spread of invasive species.

Animals

Mammals

* Brown rat (''Rattus norvegicus'') *

Black rat The black rat (''Rattus rattus''), also known as the roof rat, ship rat, or house rat, is a common long-tailed rodent of the stereotypical rat genus ''Rattus'', in the subfamily Murinae. It likely originated in the Indian subcontinent, but is n ...

(''R. rattus'') * Chital (''Axis axis'') *

Coypu The nutria (''Myocastor coypus''), also known as the coypu, is a large, herbivorous, semiaquatic rodent. Classified for a long time as the only member of the family Myocastoridae, ''Myocastor'' is now included within Echimyidae, the family of t ...

or nutria (''Myocastor coypus'') *

House mouse The house mouse (''Mus musculus'') is a small mammal of the order Rodentia, characteristically having a pointed snout, large rounded ears, and a long and almost hairless tail. It is one of the most abundant species of the genus '' Mus''. Althoug ...

(''Mus musculus'') *

Wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...

(''Sus scrofa'') *

Feral cat A feral cat or a stray cat is an unowned domestic cat (''Felis catus'') that lives outdoors and avoids human contact: it does not allow itself to be handled or touched, and usually remains hidden from humans. Feral cats may breed over dozens ...

(''Felis catus'') *

Red fox The red fox (''Vulpes vulpes'') is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the Order (biology), order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe ...

(''Vulpes vulpes'') *

Mexican gray squirrel The Mexican gray squirrel (or red-bellied squirrel) (''Sciurus aureogaster'') is a tree squirrel in the genus ''Sciurus'' native to Guatemala and eastern and southern Mexico. It has been introduced to the Florida Keys. The alternate name should ...

(''Sciurus aureogaster'') * Rhesus macaque (''Macaca mulatta'') * Nine-banded armadillo (''Dasypus novemcinctus'')

Birds

House sparrow The house sparrow (''Passer domesticus'') is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of and a mass of . Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, a ...

(''Passer domesticus'') *

Muscovy duck The Muscovy duck (''Cairina moschata'') is a large duck native to the Americas, from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Mexico south to Argentina and Uruguay. Small wild and feral breeding populations have established themselves in the United Sta ...

(''Cairina moschata'') *

Feral pigeon Feral pigeons (''Columba livia domestica'' or ''Columba livia forma urbana''), also called city doves, city pigeons, or street pigeons,Nagy, Kelsi, and Johnson, Phillip David. ''Trash animals: how we live with natures filthy, feral, invasive, an ...

(''Columba livia domestica'') * Red-whiskered bulbul (''Pycnonotus jocosus'') * Indian peacock (''Pavo cristatus'') * European starling (''Sturnus vulgaris'')

Reptiles

Argentine black and white tegu The Argentine black and white tegu (''Salvator merianae''), also known as the Argentine giant tegu, the black and white tegu, the huge tegu, is a species of lizard in the Family (biology), family Teiidae. The species is the largest of the "tegu l ...

(''Salvator merianae'') *

Black spiny-tailed iguana ''Ctenosaura similis'', commonly known as the black iguanaLiner, Ernest A. and Gustavo Cass-Andreu. (2008). ''Standard Spanish, English and Scientific Names of the Amphibians and Reptiles of Mexico (2nd. ed.).'' Herpetological Circular No. 38. So ...

(''Ctenosaura similis'') *

Brown anole The brown anole (''Anolis sagrei''), also known commonly as the Cuban brown anole, or De la Sagra's anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is native to Cuba and the Bahamas. It has been widely introduced elsewhere, ...

(''Anolis sagrei'') *

Burmese python The Burmese python (''Python bivittatus'') is one of the largest species of snakes. It is native to a large area of Southeast Asia and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Until 2009, it was considered a subspecies of the Indian python ...

(''Python bivittatus'') see main article:

Burmese pythons in Florida Burmese pythons (''Python bivittatus'') are native to Southeast Asia. However, since the end of the 20th century, they have become an established breeding population in South Florida. The earliest python sightings in Florida date back to the 1930s ...

Common house gecko The common house gecko (''Hemidactylus frenatus'') is a gecko native to South and Southeast Asia. It is also known as the Asian house gecko, Pacific house gecko, wall gecko, house lizard, tayoto, chipkali or moon lizard. Most geckos are nocturn ...

(''Hemidactylus frenatus'') * Green iguana (''Iguana iguana'') *

Mediterranean gecko The Mediterranean house gecko (''Hemidactylus turcicus'') is a species of house gecko common to the Mediterranean area which has spread to many parts of the world. It is commonly referred to as the Turkish gecko as represented in its Latin name ...

(''Hemidactylus turcicus'') *

Nile monitor The Nile monitor (''Varanus niloticus'') is a large member of the monitor family (Varanidae) found throughout most of Sub-Saharan Africa and along the Nile, with invasive populations in North America. The population in West African forests and sa ...

(''Varanus niloticus'') * Red-eared slider (''Trachemys scripta elegans'') *

Common boa The boa constrictor (scientific name also ''Boa constrictor''), also called the red-tailed boa, is a species of large, non-venomous, heavy-bodied snake that is frequently kept and bred in captivity. The boa constrictor is a member of the family B ...

(''Boa constrictor'') * African rock python (''Python sebae'')

Amphibians

* Cane toad (''Rhinella marina'') *

Common coquí The common coquí or coquí (''Eleutherodactylus coqui'') is a species of frog endemic to Puerto Rico belonging to the family Eleutherodactylidae. The species is named for the loud call the males make at night. This sound serves two purposes. "CO ...

(''Eleutherodactylus coqui'') *

Cuban tree frog The Cuban tree frog (''Osteopilus septentrionalis'') is a large species of tree frog that is native to Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands; but has become invasive in several other places around the Americas. Its wide diet and ability to ...

(''Osteopilus septentrionalis'') * Greenhouse frog (''Eleutherodactylus planirostris'')

Fish

African jewelfish The African jewelfish (''Hemichromis bimaculatus''), also known as jewel cichlid or jewelfish, is from the family Cichlidae. Description ''Hemichromis bimaculatus'' can grow up to long.SeriouslyFish: Hemichromis bimaculatus.' . ''H. bimaculatus' ...

(''Hemichromis letourneuxi'') *

Asian swamp eel The Asian swamp eel (''Monopterus albus''), also known as rice eel, ricefield eel, or rice paddy eel, is a commercially important, air-breathing species of fish in the family Synbranchidae. It occurs in East and Southeast Asia, where it is a ver ...

(''Monopterus albus'') *

Blue tilapia The blue tilapia (''Oreochromis aureus'') is a species of tilapia, a fish in the family Cichlidae. Native to Northern Africa, Northern and Western Africa, and the Middle East, through Introduced species, introductions it is now also established e ...

(''Oreochromis aureus'') * Black acara (''Cichlasoma bimaculatum'') *

Bullseye snakehead ''Channa marulius'' (bullseye snakehead or great snakehead) is a large species of snakehead native to South Asia. Populations in Southeast Asia are now regarded as separate species.Adamson, E. A. S. and R. Britz (2018). The snakehead fish Channa ...

(''Channa marulius'') *

Clown featherback The clown featherback, clown knifefish, or spotted knifefish, ''Chitala ornata'', is a nocturnal tropical fish with a long, knife-like body. This knifefish is native to freshwater habitats in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, but it has ...

(''Chitala ornata'') *

Lionfish ''Pterois'' is a genus of venomous marine fish, commonly known as lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific. Also called firefish, turkeyfish, tastyfish, or butterfly-cod, it is characterized by conspicuous warning coloration with red, white, crea ...

(''

Pterois miles ''Pterois miles'', the devil firefish or common lionfish, is a species of ray-finned fish native to the western Indo-Pacific region. It is frequently confused with its close relative, the red lionfish (''Pterois volitans''). The scientific name ...

'' & '' P. volitans'') *

Mayan cichlid ''Mayaheros urophthalmus'', also known as the Mayan cichlid or Mexican mojarra is a species of cichlid. Taxonomy Previously, this species was a member of the genus ''Cichlasoma'' and the subgeneric section '' Nandopsis''. However, the genus ''C ...

(''Cichlasoma urophthalmum'') *

Northern snakehead The northern snakehead (''Channa argus'') is a species of snakehead fish native to China, Russia, North Korea, and South Korea, ranging from the Amur River to Hainan. It has been introduced to other regions, where it is considered invasive. In ...

(''Channa argus'') * Oscar (''Astronotus ocellatus'') * Pike killifish (''Belonesox belizanus'') *

Spotted tilapia The spotted tilapia (''Pelmatolapia mariae''Dunz, A.R. & Schliewen, U.K. (2013): Molecular phylogeny and revised classification of the haplotilapiine cichlid fishes formerly referred to as ''“Tilapia”''. ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolutio ...

(''Pelmatolapia mariae'') * Walking catfish (''Clarias batrachus'') *

Yellowfin goby ''Acanthogobius flavimanus'' is a species of fish in the goby family known by the common name yellowfin goby. Other common names include mahaze, Japanese river goby, Oriental goby, and spotted goby. It is native to Asia, where its range includes ...

(''Acanthogobius flavimanus'') * Asian carp (''Cyprinus carpio'')

Invertebrates

* ''

Metamasius callizona ''Metamasius callizona'', or the Mexican bromeliad weevil, is in an invasive species in Florida, USA that targets several species of bromeliad. This species is native to southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Panama, and was first documented in Florid ...

'' (Mexican bromeliad weevil
Potential Biodiversity Loss in Florida Bromeliad Phytotelmata due to Metamasius callizona (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae), an Invasive Species
* '' Euglossa dilemma'' (green orchid bee
green orchid bee - Euglossa dilemma Friese
* ''

Pomacea maculata ''Pomacea maculata'' is a species of large freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails. Common name of its synonymous name ''Pomacea insularum'' is the island applesnail. Toge ...

'' (island applesnail
giant applesnail (Pomacea maculata) - Species Profile
* ''

Corbicula fluminea ''Corbicula fluminea'' is a species of freshwater clam native to eastern Asia which has become a successful invasive species throughout North America, South America, and Europe. ''Corbicula fluminea'' is commonly known in the west as the Asian cl ...

'' (Asian clam
Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) - Species Profile
* ''

Lissachatina fulica ''Lissachatina fulica'' is a species of large land snail that belongs in the subfamily Achatininae of the family Achatinidae. It is also known as the Giant African land snail.New York Invasive Species Information – New York State's gateway to science-based invasive species information
* ''

Marisa cornuarietis ''Marisa cornuarietis'', common name the Colombian ramshorn apple snail, is a species of large freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snail family. These snails are popular in a ...

'' (Colombian ramshorn apple snail
Marisa cornuarietis (giant ramshorn)
* '' Melanoides tuberculata'' (Red-rimmed melania
Melanoides tuberculata (red-rimmed melania)
* '' Zachrysia provisoria'' (Cuban brown snail
Zachrysia provisoria (Cuban brown snail)
* ''

Platydemus manokwari ''Platydemus manokwari'', also known as the New Guinea flatworm, is a species of large predatory land flatworm. Native to New Guinea, it has been accidentally introduced to the soil of many countries, including the United States. It was als ...

'' (New Guinea flatworm
Invasive New Guinea flatworm surfaces in PBC
* ''

Amynthas agrestis ''Amynthas agrestis'', the Asian jumping worm,The species goes by many common names, including the rustic jumping worm, the Alabama jumper, and the Asian crazy worm. is a species of worm in the family Megascolecidae. They have a smooth, glossy g ...

'' (Crazy worm
Amynthas agrestis (crazy worm)
* '' Aedes albopictus'' (Asian tiger mosquito
Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito)
* '' Aethina tumida'' (Small hive beetle
Aethina tumida
* ''

Anastrepha suspensa ''Anastrepha suspensa'', known as the Caribbean fruit fly, the Greater Antillean fruit fly, guava fruit fly, or the Caribfly, is a species of tephritid fruit fly. As the names suggest, these flies feed on and develop in a variety of fruits, prim ...

'' (Caribbean fruit fly
Anastrepha suspensa (Caribbean fruit fly)
* ''

Aphis spiraecola ''Aphis spiraecola'' is a species of aphid described in 1914 by Edith Marion Patch. Its common names include green citrus aphid, Spirea aphid, and apple aphid. It is distributed worldwide, and is most abundant in the United States. It has a dip ...

'' (Spirea aphid
Aphis spiraecola (Spirea aphid)
* ''

Apis mellifera scutellata The East African lowland honey bee (''Apis mellifera scutellata'') is a subspecies of the western honey bee. It is native to central, southern and eastern Africa, though at the southern extreme it is replaced by the Cape honey bee (''Apis mellife ...

'' (African bee
Apis mellifera scutellata (africanized bee)
* ''

Aulacaspis yasumatsui ''Aulacaspis yasumatsui'', or cycad aulacaspis scale (CAS), is a scale insect species in the genus '' Aulacaspis'' that feeds on cycad species such as ''Cycas revoluta''Aulacaspis yasumatsui (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Diaspididae), a Scale Insec ...

'' (Cycad aulacaspis scale
Aulacaspis yasumatsui (cycad aulacaspis scale)
* ''

Cactoblastis cactorum ''Cactoblastis cactorum'', the cactus moth, South American cactus moth or nopal moth, is native to Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil. It is one of five species in the genus '' Cactoblastis'' that inhabit South America, where many pa ...

'' (Cactus moth
Cactoblastis cactorum (cactus moth)
* '' Cerataphis lataniae'' (Palm aphid
Cerataphis lataniae (palm aphid)
* '' Cnestus mutilatus'' (Camphor shot borer
Xylosandrus mutilatus (camphor shoot beetle)
* ''

Coptotermes formosanus The Formosan termite (''Coptotermes formosanus'') is a species of termite local to southern China and introduced to Taiwan (formerly known as Formosa, where it gets its name), Japan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Hawaii, and the continental United Sta ...

'' (Formosan subterranean termite
Coptotermes formosanus (Formosan subterranean termite)
* ''

Coptotermes gestroi ''Coptotermes gestroi'', the Asian subterranean termite is a small species of termite that lives underground. Both this species and the Formosan subterranean termite, (''Coptotermes formosanus'') are destructive pests native to Asia, but have sp ...

'' (Asian subterranean termite) * ''

Cryptotermes brevis ''Cryptotermes brevis'' is a species of termite in the family Kalotermitidae, commonly known as the West Indian drywood termite or the powderpost termite. It is able to live completely inside timber structures or articles made of wood such as f ...

'' (Powderpost termite
Cryptotermes brevis (powderpost termite)
* ''

Culex quinquefasciatus ''Culex'' is a genus of mosquitoes, several species of which serve as vectors of one or more important diseases of birds, humans, and other animals. The diseases they vector include arbovirus infections such as West Nile virus, Japanese encep ...

'' (Southern house mosquito
Culex quinquefasciatus (southern house mosquito)
* '' Dinoderus minutus'' (Bamboo borer
Dinoderus minutus (bamboo borer)
* ''

Glycaspis brimblecombei ''Glycaspis'' is a genus of plant-parasitic hemipterans in the family Aphalaridae. There are at least two described species in ''Glycaspis''. Species These two species belong to the genus ''Glycaspis'': * '' Glycaspis brimblecombei'' Moore, 1964 ...

'' (Red gum lerp psyllid
Glycaspis brimblecombei (red gum lerp psyllid)
* '' Harmonia axyridis'' (Harlequin ladybird
Harmonia axyridis (harlequin ladybird)
* ''Heterotermes cardini'' (West Indian subterranean termite) * '' Hypogeococcus pungens'' (Cactus mealybug
Hypogeococcus pungens (cactus mealybug)
* ''

Icerya purchasi ''Icerya purchasi'' ( common name: cottony cushion scale) is a scale insect that feeds on more than 80 families of woody plants, most notably on ''Citrus'' and ''Pittosporum''. Originally described in 1878 from specimens collected in New Zealand ...

'' (Cottony cushion scale
Icerya purchasi (cottony cushion scale)
* '' Incisitermes minor'' (Western drywood termite)Chouvenc, Thomas, Rudolf H. Scheffrahn, and Lyle Buss. "Termite Species Distribution in Florida and UF Termite Identification Services: ENY-2079/IN1360, 05/2022." EDIS 2022.3 (2022)
/ref> * ''

Leptocybe invasa ''Leptocybe invasa'', the blue gum chalcid wasp or eucalyptus gall wasp, is a chalcid wasp which is the only species in the monotypic genus ''Leptocybe'' in the subfamily Tetrastichinae, of the family Eulophidae. It is a gall wasp which causes t ...

'' (Blue gum chalcid wasp
Leptocybe invasa (blue gum chalcid)
* ''

Linepithema humile The Argentine ant (''Linepithema humile''), formerly ''Iridomyrmex humilis'', is an ant native to northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and southern Brazil. It is an invasive species that has been established in many Mediterranean climat ...

'' (Argentine ant
Linepithema humile (Argentine ant)
* ''

Maconellicoccus hirsutus ''Maconellicoccus hirsutus'', (also known as the pink, grape or hibiscus mealybug) is a pest of many plants, trees, and shrubs. It infests hibiscus, citrus, coffee, sugar cane, annonas, plums, guava, mango (although, mango mealybug is more proble ...

'' (Pink hibiscus mealybug
Maconellicoccus hirsutus (pink hibiscus mealybug)
* '' Nasutitermes corniger'' (Conehead termite) * '' Opogona sacchari'' (Banana moth
Opogona sacchari (banana moth)
* ''

Paratachardina pseudolobata ''Paratachardina pseudolobata'', the lobate lac scale, is a polyphagous and pestiferous lac scale insect, which damages trees and woody shrubs in Cuba, Florida, the Bahamas and the Australian territory of Christmas Island. It was mistakenly iden ...

'' (Lobate lac scale
Paratachardina pseudolobata (lobate lac scale)
https://www.invasive.org/gist/products/gallery/parlo1.html TNC Global Invasive Species Team page] * ''

Pheidole megacephala ''Pheidole megacephala'' is a species of ant in the family Formicidae. It is commonly known as the big-headed ant in the USA and the coastal brown ant in Australia. It is a very successful invasive species and is considered a danger to native ant ...

'' (Big-headed ant
Pheidole megacephala (big-headed ant)
* ''

Phenacoccus solenopsis ''Phenacoccus solenopsis'', the cotton mealybug or solenopsis mealybug, is a species of mealybug in the family Pseudococcidae. Having originated in North America, it has spread to other parts of the world and become a major pest of cotton crops ...

'' (Cotton mealybug
Phenacoccus solenopsis (cotton mealybug)
* ''

Raoiella indica ''Raoiella indica'', commonly known as the red palm mite, is a species of mite belonging to the family Tenuipalpidae. A pest of several species of palm in the Middle East and South East Asia, it is now becoming established throughout the Caribbe ...

'' (Red palm mite
Raoiella indica (red palm mite)
* ''

Solenopsis invicta The red imported fire ant (''Solenopsis invicta''), also known as the fire ant or RIFA, is a species of ant native to South America. A member of the genus '' Solenopsis'' in the subfamily Myrmicinae, it was described by Swiss entomologist Feli ...

'' (Red imported fire ant
Solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ant)
* ''

Tapinoma melanocephalum ''Tapinoma melanocephalum'' is a species of ant that goes by the common name ghost ant. They are recognised by their dark head and pale or translucent legs and gaster (abdomen). This colouring makes this tiny ant seem even smaller. Descripti ...

'' (Ghost ant
Tapinoma melanocephalum (ghost ant)
* '' Trichomyrmex destructor'' (Singapore ant
Monomorium destructor (Singapore ant)
* '' Wasmannia auropunctata'' (Electric ant
Wasmannia auropunctata (little fire ant)
* '' Xanthogaleruca luteola'' (Elm leaf beetle
Pyrrhalta luteola (elm leaf beetle)
* '' Xyleborinus saxeseni'' (Fruit-tree pinhole borer
Xyleborinus saxesenii (fruit-tree pinhole borer)
* ''

Xylosandrus compactus ''Xylosandrus compactus'' is a species of ambrosia beetle. Common names for this beetle include black twig borer, black coffee borer, black coffee twig borer and tea stem borer. The adult beetle is dark brown or black and inconspicuous; it bores ...

'' (Black twig borer
Xylosandrus compactus (shot-hole borer)
* ''

Xylosandrus crassiusculus ''Xylosandrus crassiusculus'', known generally as the Asian ambrosia beetle or granulate ambrosia beetle, is a species of tropical bark beetle in the family Curculionidae. It is native to Asia and has spread to Africa, Europe, Australasia and the ...

'' (Asian ambrosia beetle
Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Asian ambrosia beetle)
* '' Bugula neritina'' (Brown bryozoan
Bugula neritina (brown bryozoan)
* '' Polyandrocarpa zorritensis'
Polyandrocarpa zorritensis
* ''

Cordylophora caspia ''Cordylophora caspia'' (or freshwater hydroid) is a species of athecate hydroid in the family Cordylophoridae. Distribution ''C. caspia'' is native to brackish and fresh water habitats around the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. From there it has sp ...

'' (Euryhaline hydroid
Cordylophora (euryhaline hydroid)
* ''

Tubastraea coccinea Orange cup coral (''Tubastraea coccinea'') belongs to a group of corals known as large-polyp stony corals. This non-reef building coral extends beautiful translucent tentacles at night. ''Tubastraea coccinea'' is heterotrophic and does not cont ...

'' (Orange cup coral
Tubastraea coccinea (orange-cup coral)

Plants

According to the non-governmental organisation FLEPPC, the invasive species of plant in 2019 are the following list. Compared to older lists, a number of species have been removed when it became more apparent that they were in fact native to Florida or that their impact was less severe than feared by the organisation, while three or four species have been added in the last decade or so, and two species were originally misidentified. There are many more exotic species in Florida which occur as ornamental garden plants or garden escapes. FLEPPC has no legal authority, this list is merely a recommendation.http://bugwoodcloud.org/CDN/fleppc/plantlists/2019/2019_Plant_List_ABSOLUTE_FINAL.pdf In Florida, a number of plant species are declared invasive species by either state of federal legislature. Most of these are water plants which are not listed below.

References

{{reflist , refs= {{cite document , title=List of invasive plant species , publisher=Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council , work=FLEPPC website (fleppc.org) , url=https://www.fleppc.org/list/2013/2013PlantList-WithLinksToUFL-update_05_28_14.pdf , date=2013