A new fossil marine lizard with soft tissues from the Late Cretaceous of southern Italy.

A new marine lizard showing exceptional soft tissue preservation was found in Late Cretaceous deposits of the Apulian Platform (Puglia, Italy). gen. et sp.

Forensic paleontology: a tool for "intelligence" and investigation.

Paleontology and facies analysis proved to be useful tools in activities of intelligence and investigation on some criminal cases, as well as in in-court activities, thus defining the "forensic paleontology" area of study. The definition was given by analyzing its possible specific applications and excluding some marginal activities. The reliability of forensic paleontology was then assessed in light of the results achieved in some actual cases and in an ad hoc simulation.