Invasive Wildlife

Invasive Species of Florida's Coastal Waters: The Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans) and Devil Firefish (P. miles)

Maia McGuire and Jeffrey Hill

Ecological Risk Assessment for Invasive Wildlife in Florida

Venetia Briggs-Gonzalez, Kyle Allen, Rebecca G. Harvey, and Frank J. Mazzotti

History, Status, Impacts, and Management of Invasive Black Spiny-tailed Iguanas (Ctenosaura similis) on Gasparilla Island, Florida

Sean L. McKnight, Bryan M. Kluever, Parker Hall, Miguel A. Acevedo, and Steve A. Johnson

This publication summarizes the history, status, and management of invasive black spiny-tailed iguanas (Ctenosaura similis) on Gasparilla Island, in southwest Florida. Our target audiences are residents and visitors of Gasparilla Island as well as naturalists interested in Florida’s diverse wildlife, especially introduced reptiles. Our specific goal is to increase knowledge and raise awareness about black spiny-tailed iguanas, their impacts, and the challenges of managing those impacts. More broadly, we aim to raise awareness about the many introduced and invasive reptiles in Florida and motivate people to take action to help prevent additional introductions of nonnative reptiles as well as support management efforts to curtail the spread of introduced reptiles in the Sunshine State. The information used to produce this publication was derived from published scientific articles, communications with colleagues, and our own research.

The Greenhouse Frog (Eleutherodactylus planirostris) in the United States

Bella Gonzalez, Faith Dunlap, Ethan Hancock, Abbigail Johnson, Sasha Karlsson, Mia Keriazes, Chris Landaeta, Lana Ng, Keraj Patel, Keppler Popovich, and Steve A. Johnson

This publication summarizes general knowledge about the greenhouse frog, a species introduced and established in the United States. Our target audience is primarily homeowners in Hawaii and Florida where the greenhouse frog is most common, but residents in other Southeastern states will also find this publication useful. Greenhouse frogs have been documented in several other states in this region and continue to expand their range. Homeowners usually encounter greenhouse frogs in their gardens and among potted plants, and sometimes in their swimming pools when the frogs fall in. Curious people then seek information on the frog’s identity. Our goals are to provide tips on greenhouse frog identification, to show the frog's geographic range in the United States, and to describe its biology and known or potential impacts.