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.