Invasive species in Puerto Rico

• Although once believed to be native to the island, green iguana may have been introduced to Puerto Rico in the modern era. Green iguanas are native to South and Central America. The species is considered invasive due to the damage it carries out on local agriculture and the threat it poses to native species.^[9]
• Boa constrictor: Native to Central and South America, the boa constrictor has recently been observed in Puerto Rico. A small population was found in the city of Mayagüez, where at least 150 boas have been removed.^[10] Although recently discovered, it is believed that the population has existed in the area for several decades due to an incidental release.^[10]

Plants

• Abrus precatorius: Is a flowering plant better known as "jequirity bean" or "rosary pea" which is notorious for invading warm tropical areas.^[11] This nitrogen fixing plant is known to alter soil nutrients and heavily impact native species via allelopathic effects.^[12] At the end of the twentieth century, it was declared an invasive weed by Puerto Rico and much of the Caribbean Islands.^[13] Once this plant has fully matured, their roots become difficult to remove, adding to this weeds notoriety.^[12] The most common removal method was using herbicides such as glyphosate, causing other unintended drawbacks on ecosystems which were invaded.^[14] Native species and humans also have to worry about consuming this plant, as it contains toxins which can be detrimental to their health with enough consumption.^[11]

Arthropods

The overwhelming majority of

• Africanized bee: Known to have attacked researchers and certain endangered bird species. First seen on the island in 1994, the honeybee has also inhabited a majority of tree cavities.^[7] It has evolved to become a lesser threat to the area over time, although it is still present in the area.^[7]
• Aedes aegypti: Also known as the yellow fever mosquito, aides aegypti originated in Africa and is a danger to humans. The mosquito is capable of spreading diseases such as the Zika virus and dengue fever.^[7] A distinctive characteristic of the species is its white marks on its leg, and can transported from low to high elevations.^[7]
• Hypogeococcus sp.: This invasive mealybug, better known as the Harrisia cactus mealybug, has been assigned its classification for their influence on plant species in Puerto Rican dry forests.^[15] Native cacti infected by the bug were observed to have produced fewer fruits and flowers than their healthy counterparts.^[15] A higher mortality rate was also seen in certain cactus species, due to Harrisia cactus mealybug.^[15]

95% of arthropod border interceptions are insects.^[1]

Acari

Only 4% of arthropod border interceptions are