Introduced (non-native) species that becomes established may eventually become invasive, so tracking introduced species provides a baseline for effective modeling of species trends and interactions, geospatially and temporally.
The umbrella dataset, called United States Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (US-RIIS), is comprised of three lists, one each for Alaska (AK, with 545 records), Hawaii (HI, with 5,628 records, this dataset), and the conterminous (or lower 48) United States (L48, with 8,527 records). Each list includes introduced (non-native), established (reproducing) taxa that: are, or may become, invasive (harmful) in the locality; are not known to be harmful there; and/or have been used for biological control in the locality.
To be included in the GRIIS-HI, a taxon must be non-native everywhere in the locality and established (reproducing) anywhere in the locality. Native pest species are not included.
Each record has information on taxonomy, a vernacular name, establishment means designation (introduced unintentionally, or assisted colonization), degree of establishment (established, invasive, or widespread invasive), hybrid status, pathway of introduction (where available), habitat (where available), whether a biocontrol species, dates of introduction (where available; currently 46% of the records for Hawaii), associated taxa (where applicable), native and introduced distributions (where available), and citations for the authoritative source(s) from which this information is drawn. The umbrella dataset US-RIIS builds on a previous dataset, A Comprehensive List of Non-Native Species Established in Three Major Regions of the U.S.: Version 3.0 (Simpson et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.5066/p9e5k160).
There are 14,700 records in the master list (USRIISv2_MasterList) and 12,571 unique scientific names. The list is derived from more than 5,800 authoritative sources (USRIISv2_AuthorityReferences) and was reviewed by (or based on input from) more than 30 taxonomic experts and invasive species scientists.
Many thanks to these reviewers and contributors: Coauthors Pam Fuller (USGS Emeritus), Kevin Faccenda (University of Hawaii), Neal Evenhuis (Bishop Museum), Janis Matsunaga (Hawaii Department of Agriculture), and Matt Bowser (US-Fish and Wildlife Service); contributors Rachael Blake (data science), National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC); M. Lourdes Chamorro (Curculionidae), USDA-ARS Entomology; Meghan C. Eyler (data reviewer), US Fish & Wildlife Service; Danielle Froelich (Hawaiian botany), SWCA Environmental Consultants; Thomas Henry (Heteroptera), USDA-ARS Entomology; Sam James (Annelida), Maharishi University; Nancy Khan (Hawaiian botany), Smithsonian Institution; Alex Konstantinov (Chrysomelidae), USDA-ARS Entomology; Andrew P. Landsman (Arachnida), National Park Service, C&O Canal National Historical Park; Christopher Lepczyk (Vertebrata), Auburn University; Sandy Liebhold (Coleoptera), USDA-FS; Steven Lingafelter (Cerambycidae), USDA-APHIS; Walter Meshaka (Herpetology), State Museum of Pennsylvania; Gary L. Miller (Aphididae), USDA-ARS Entomology; Allen Norrbom (Tephritidae), USDA-ARS Entomology; Shyama Pagad (global invasive species), IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialists' Group; John Reynolds (Annelida), Oligochaetology Laboratory; Alexander Salazar (Lycosidae), Miami University, Ohio; Elizabeth A. Sellers (data manager), USGS; Derek Sikes (Alaskan invertebrates), University of Alaska; Bruce A. Snyder (Annelida), Georgia College and State University; Alma Solis (Pyralid moths), USDS-ARS at the Smithsonian Institution; Rebecca Turner (data manager), Scion Inc., New Zealand; Darrell Ubick (Arachnida), Cal Academy; Warren Wagner (Hawaiian botany), Smithsonian Institution; Mark Wetzel (Annelida), Illinois Natural History Survey; and James D. Young (Lepidoptera), USDA-APHIS-PPQ-PHP. Our apologies to the many contributing experts we may have inadvertently omitted.
Simpson A, Sellers E, Pagad S (2023). Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species - Hawaii, United States (ver.2.0, 2022). Invasive Species Specialist Group ISSG. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.5066/p9kfftod accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-06-14.
