<Li> Trachemys scripta elagans Fong, Parham & Fu, 2002 (ex errore) </Li> <Li> Trachemys scripta elgans Fong, Parham & Fu, 2002 (ex errore) </Li> <P> 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 . </P> <P> Red - eared sliders get their name from the small red stripe around their ears . The "slider" in their name comes from their ability to slide off rocks and logs and into the water quickly . This species was previously known as Troost's turtle in honor of an American herpetologist; Trachemys scripta troostii is now the scientific name for another subspecies, the Cumberland slider . </P>

Where are red eared slider turtles native to