Invasive species in

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 The brown rat (''Rattus norvegicus''), also known as the common rat, street rat, sewer rat, wharf rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat, Norwegian rat and Parisian rat, is a widespread species of common rat. One of the largest muroids, it is a brown o ...

(''Rattus norvegicus'') * Black rat (''R. rattus'') *

Chital The chital or cheetal (''Axis axis''; ), also known as the spotted deer, chital deer, and axis deer, is a deer species native to the Indian subcontinent. It was first described and given a binomial name by German naturalist Johann Christian Po ...

(''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 (''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 (''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 shou ...

(''Sciurus aureogaster'') *

Rhesus macaque The rhesus macaque (''Macaca mulatta''), colloquially rhesus monkey, is a species of Old World monkey. There are between six and nine recognised subspecies that are split between two groups, the Chinese-derived and the Indian-derived. Generally ...

(''Macaca mulatta'') *

Nine-banded armadillo The nine-banded armadillo (''Dasypus novemcinctus''), also known as the nine-banded long-nosed armadillo or common long-nosed armadillo, is a mammal found in North, Central, and South America, making it the most widespread of the armadillos. ...

(''Dasypus novemcinctus'')

Birds

* House sparrow (''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 St ...

(''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 The red-whiskered bulbul (''Pycnonotus jocosus''), or crested bulbul, is a passerine bird native to Asia. It is a member of the bulbul family. It is a resident frugivore found mainly in tropical Asia. It has been introduced in many tropical are ...

(''Pycnonotus jocosus'') *

Indian peacock The Indian peafowl (''Pavo cristatus''), also known as the common peafowl, and blue peafowl, is a peafowl species native to the Indian subcontinent. It has been introduced to many other countries. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and ...

(''Pavo cristatus'') *

European starling The common starling or European starling (''Sturnus vulgaris''), also known simply as the starling in Great Britain and Ireland, is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is about long and has glossy black plumage ...

(''Sturnus vulgaris'')

Reptiles

* Argentine black and white tegu (''Salvator merianae'') * Black spiny-tailed iguana (''Ctenosaura similis'') * Brown anole (''Anolis sagrei'') * Burmese 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 193 ...

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 (''Hemidactylus turcicus'') * Nile monitor (''Varanus niloticus'') *

Red-eared slider The red-eared slider or red-eared terrapin (''Trachemys scripta elegans'') is a subspecies of the pond slider (''Trachemys scripta''), a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States, ...

(''Trachemys scripta elegans'') * Common boa (''Boa constrictor'') *

African rock python The Central African rock python (''Python sebae'') is a species of large constrictor snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of 11 living species in the genus ''Python''. Africa's largest snake ...

(''Python sebae'')

Amphibians

Cane toad The cane toad (''Rhinella marina''), also known as the giant neotropical toad or marine toad, is a large, terrestrial true toad native to South and mainland Central America, but which has been introduced to various islands throughout Oceania ...

(''Rhinella marina'') * Common coquí (''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 (''Hemichromis letourneuxi'') * Asian swamp eel (''Monopterus albus'') *

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

(''Oreochromis aureus'') * Black acara (''Cichlasoma bimaculatum'') * Bullseye snakehead (''Channa marulius'') * Clown featherback (''Chitala ornata'') * Lionfish ('' Pterois miles'' & '' 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 ''Cic ...

(''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 Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

(''Astronotus ocellatus'') * Pike killifish (''Belonesox belizanus'') * Spotted tilapia (''Pelmatolapia mariae'') *

Walking catfish The walking catfish (''Clarias batrachus'') is a species of freshwater airbreathing catfish native to Southeast Asia. It is named for its ability to "walk" and wiggle across dry land, to find food or suitable environments. While it does not tru ...

(''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'' (Mexican bromeliad weevil
Potential Biodiversity Loss in Florida Bromeliad Phytotelmata due to Metamasius callizona (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae), an Invasive Species
* ''

Euglossa dilemma ''Euglossa dilemma'', the green orchid bee or dilemma orchid bee, is a species of solitary euglossine bee native to a broad area of Central America, and recently introduced to Florida in the United States. It was first detected in Broward County ...

'' (green orchid bee
green orchid bee - Euglossa dilemma Friese
* '' Pomacea maculata'' (island applesnail
giant applesnail (Pomacea maculata) - Species Profile
* '' Corbicula fluminea'' (Asian clam
Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) - Species Profile
* '' Lissachatina fulica'' (African giant 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 ...

'' (Colombian ramshorn apple snail
Marisa cornuarietis (giant ramshorn)
* ''

Melanoides tuberculata The red-rimmed melania (''Melanoides tuberculata''), also known as Malayan livebearing snails or Malayan/Malaysian trumpet snails (often abbreviated to MTS) by aquarists, is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum, a parthenogenetic, a ...

'' (Red-rimmed melania
Melanoides tuberculata (red-rimmed melania)
* '' Zachrysia provisoria'' (Cuban brown snail
Zachrysia provisoria (Cuban brown snail)
* '' Platydemus manokwari'' (New Guinea flatworm
Invasive New Guinea flatworm surfaces in PBC
* '' Amynthas agrestis'' (Crazy worm
Amynthas agrestis (crazy worm)
* ''

Aedes albopictus ''Aedes albopictus'' (''Stegomyia albopicta''), from the mosquito (Culicidae) family, also known as the (Asian) tiger mosquito or forest mosquito, is a mosquito native to the tropical and subtropical areas of Southeast Asia. In the past few cen ...

'' (Asian tiger mosquito
Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito)
* '' Aethina tumida'' (Small hive beetle
Aethina tumida
* '' Anastrepha suspensa'' (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'' (Cycad aulacaspis scale
Aulacaspis yasumatsui (cycad aulacaspis scale)
* '' Cactoblastis cactorum'' (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'' (Formosan subterranean termite
Coptotermes formosanus (Formosan subterranean termite)
* '' Coptotermes gestroi'' (Asian subterranean termite) * '' Cryptotermes brevis'' (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 ''Dinoderus minutus'', the Bamboo borer, is a species of wood-boring beetle. In tropical regions (and perhaps others), it is one of the main pests of bamboo, attracted by the internal starch Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate cons ...

'' (Bamboo borer
Dinoderus minutus (bamboo borer)
* '' Glycaspis brimblecombei'' (Red gum lerp psyllid
Glycaspis brimblecombei (red gum lerp psyllid)
* ''

Harmonia axyridis ''Harmonia axyridis'' is a large lady beetle or ladybug species that is most commonly known as the harlequin, multicoloured Asian, or Asian lady beetle. This is one of the most variable species in the world, with an exceptionally wide range of col ...

'' (Harlequin ladybird
Harmonia axyridis (harlequin ladybird)
* ''Heterotermes cardini'' (West Indian subterranean termite) * '' Hypogeococcus pungens'' (Cactus mealybug
Hypogeococcus pungens (cactus mealybug)
* '' Icerya purchasi'' (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'' (Blue gum chalcid wasp
Leptocybe invasa (blue gum chalcid)
* '' Linepithema humile'' (Argentine ant
Linepithema humile (Argentine ant)
* '' Maconellicoccus hirsutus'' (Pink hibiscus mealybug
Maconellicoccus hirsutus (pink hibiscus mealybug)
* ''

Nasutitermes corniger ''Nasutitermes corniger'' is a species of arboreal termite that is endemic to the neotropics. It is very closely related to '' Nasutitermes ephratae''. The species has been studied relatively intensively, particularly on Barro Colorado Island, Pa ...

'' (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 mistaken ...

'' (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'' (Big-headed ant
Pheidole megacephala (big-headed ant)
* '' Phenacoccus solenopsis'' (Cotton mealybug
Phenacoccus solenopsis (cotton mealybug)
* '' Raoiella indica'' (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 Fel ...

'' (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. Descript ...

'' (Ghost ant
Tapinoma melanocephalum (ghost ant)
* '' Trichomyrmex destructor'' (Singapore ant
Monomorium destructor (Singapore ant)
* ''

Wasmannia auropunctata The little fire ant (''Wasmannia auropunctata''), also known as the electric ant, is a small (approx long), light to golden brown (ginger) social ant native to Central and South America, now spread to parts of Africa (including Gabon and Camer ...

'' (Electric ant
Wasmannia auropunctata (little fire ant)
* ''

Xanthogaleruca luteola ''Xanthogaleruca luteola'', commonly known as the elm-leaf beetle, is a beetle species in the family Chrysomelidae that is native to Europe but invasive in other parts of the world.http://cisr.ucr.edu/elm_leaf_beetle.html - Center for Invasive Sp ...

'' (Elm leaf beetle
Pyrrhalta luteola (elm leaf beetle)
* '' Xyleborinus saxeseni'' (Fruit-tree pinhole borer
Xyleborinus saxesenii (fruit-tree pinhole borer)
* '' Xylosandrus compactus'' (Black twig borer
Xylosandrus compactus (shot-hole borer)
* '' Xylosandrus crassiusculus'' (Asian ambrosia beetle
Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Asian ambrosia beetle)
* ''

Bugula neritina ''Bugula neritina'' ( commonly known as brown bryozoan or common bugula) is a cryptic species complex of sessile marine animal in the genus ''Bugula''.Gordon, D. (2015). Bugula neritina (Linnaeus, 1758). In: Bock, P.; Gordon, D. (2015) World Lis ...

'' (Brown bryozoan
Bugula neritina (brown bryozoan)
* '' Polyandrocarpa zorritensis'
Polyandrocarpa zorritensis
* '' Cordylophora caspia'' (Euryhaline hydroid
Cordylophora (euryhaline hydroid)
* '' Tubastraea coccinea'' (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 Invasive species

Invasive species