The
red-eared slider (
Trachemys scripta elegans), also known as the
red-eared terrapin, is a semiaquatic
turtle belonging to the family
Emydidae. It is a subspecies of the
pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and is also popular as a pet in the rest of the world. It has, therefore, become the most commonly-traded turtle in the world. It is native to the southern
United States and northern
Mexico, but has become established in other places because of pet releases, and has become an
invasive species in many areas, where it outcompetes native species. The red-eared slider is included in the
list of the world's 100 most invasive species published by the
IUCN.