What are exotic species? Part II

What's exotic and what's not
The phrase "exotic species" has at least two meanings. "Exotic" can describe species that are intriguing, unusual, and excitingly strange in appearance or behavior. The other meaning of "exotic species" refers to organisms that have been imported from another part of the world. So while you might not consider a zebra mussel to be exciting, it can certainly be considered an exotic species because it was introduced from Europe when a ship discharged its ballast water into one of the Great Lakes.

The terms "exotic" and "alien" are often used to mean the same thing: organisms that are not indigenous and have been introduced to new areas through human activities. The US National Park Service uses a broad definition of exotic species which includes species native to North America but introduced outside of their normal range (Hiebert and Stubbendieck 1993). Some authorities, such as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Hoffman and Kearns 1997), use the terms exotic and alien in the more restrictive sense for species from outside the country.

See more definitions of "exotic" or choose another topic from the list below.

How are exotic species introduced?
What are the impacts of exotic species?
Basic ecology