Crossword Genius

Reptile on ground is to prove invasive (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

interlope

'to prove invasive' is the definition.
(to interlope is to invade or infiltrate)

'reptile on ground' is the wordplay.
'ground' indicates an anagram ('grind' the letters into a new form).
'reptile'+'on'='reptileon'
'reptileon' is an anagram of 'INTERLOPE'.

'is' is the link.

(Another definition for interlope that I've seen is " trespass".)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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