In 1951, 10-year-old George Rau Jr., step-son of Fred Lazarus III, came across some common wall lizards scurrying across rocky slopes while on a family vacation to Lake Garda in northern Italy.
It's associated with the Lazarus family best known in Ohio for their connections with department stores. However, the local common name "Lazarus" has nothing to do with dropping a tail to rise again. A slight swelling of the tail often indicates where the old tail broke off and a new tale grew. The detached tail will continue to whip back and forth to further distract (bewilder?) a predator. The lizards are capable of shedding part of their tail to survive a predator's attack a defense mechanism known as autotomy. If you're a native Cincinnatian, you would likely call them "Lazarus lizards." If you live in Europe, they are common wall lizards. If you're an American herpetologist, you would call them European wall lizards ( Podarcis muralis).
The lizard's common name is influenced by where you stand, literally. I've posted BYGL reports about these lizards in the past because the story of how they got to Cincinnati is so intriguing and their ascent to equal treatment amongst native reptiles is almost unprecedented for reptiles in Ohio. If you're ever visiting Cincinnati during the dog days of summer, keep your eyes peeled for a fascinating non-native lizard scurrying over rock walls, darting across sidewalks, and lurking in landscaping.
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