Florida's next top invasive species: crab-eating monkeys and more

Why it matters: Identification and prevention are the best ways to minimize the damage caused by invasive pests, per the research.

What they did: Researchers analyzed 460 species in consultation with a panel of 28 invasive wildlife experts.

What they found: Forty of those candidates posed the biggest threat, with 33 considered very high-risk. And four stood out above the rest.

• The alewife is a species of herring introduced to freshwater lakes as prey for game fish. They have pushed out native fish in other parts of the country, according to the National Invasive Species Information Center.
• Zebra mussels also wreak havoc on native plankton and fish and have been known to clog pipes and corrode dock pilings, per the United States Geological Survey.
• The risk posed by the crab-eating macaque, a type of monkey native to Southeast Asia, is in the name. Florida is already home to its relative: the rhesus macaque, which was also the species of 2008-2012's Mystery Monkey of Tampa Bay (more on that local lore here).

• The red swamp crayfish outcompetes native crayfish and burrows along shorelines, which can cause erosion.

What they're watching: While none have yet taken hold in the state, they might do so by catching a ride on cargo boats and escaping from the pet trade, per the study.

• The authors recommend closely monitoring state ports and borders and continuing to monitor invasive species risks.