Amber piece with a lizard (Lacertidae) inclusion

The sap of conifers that grew over 50 million years
ago were a real trap for insects, arachnids and even lizards. Vertebrate
inclusions in Baltic amber are particularly rare and very valuable. Small
arthropods are the most commonly found inclusions in Baltic amber, of which a
majority (around 80 percent) are two-winged insects. If they were not already
dead when the conifer sap flowed over them and trapped them, larger organisms
would have had enough strength to escape from the sticky substance. That is why
the frequency of larger inclusions in Baltic amber is quite rare. There are
only a few lizard inclusions in the world.