An exotic species is defined as:

• A. A species native to the area
• B. A domesticated species
• C. A species not native to the area (e.g., Aedes albopictus)
• D. A species extinct in the area

Answer: (C)

An exotic species is a species not native to the area. That means it comes from outside the region’s natural geographic range and has arrived there through human activity or accidental dispersal. The key idea is origin: native species have evolved and occur naturally in the area, while exotic species originate elsewhere. The example Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, is native to Asia but has established populations in many other regions, making it exotic in those places. This is different from domesticated species, which are bred by humans but can still be native or non-native to a place, and from a species that is extinct in the area, which means it no longer exists there at all.