Specimen of Copal - natural - young Amber. Madagascar Copal – Fossil Resin with insect inclusions - Height: 160 mm - Width: 50 mm- 74 g

Sample of translucent copal from Madagascar, polished to enhance its natural transparency and rich presence of organic inclusions. The smooth, elongated surface highlights the warm color that varies from honey yellow to deep gold, crossed by veins and internal flows typical of ancient resin flows. Inside the specimen, several well-preserved insect inclusions are clearly visible, including: Diptera (gnats and mosquitoes), with recognizable bodies and wings; Hymenoptera (likely ants and small parasitic wasps); Lepidoptera (small nocturnal moths, with wings exceptionally well preserved). These inclusions offer a unique glimpse into the biodiversity that once inhabited Madagascar’s forests, providing opportunities for both aesthetic and scientific observations. Madagascar copal is a relatively young fossil resin compared to amber. Studies suggest an age ranging from a few hundred thousand to about 2 million years, placing it between the Late Pleistocene and early Holocene. It is considered an intermediate stage between fresh resin and true amber. Malagasy copal comes from surface deposits in the northwestern regions of the island, formed from the resin exuded by trees of the Leguminosae family (Hymenaea verrucosa), the same that produced Caribbean amber. This specimen, with its combination of transparency, bright color, and multiple insect inclusions, represents a piece of great naturalistic and collector’s interest, ideal for museums, scientific collections, and curiosity cabinets.