Question

The Permian Period started about 300 million years ago. During this period, there were quite a few plants and animals that no longer exist today. These include the four-legged animals Mesosaurus, Lystrosaurus, and Cynognathus as well as the fern Glossopteris. The locations of the fossils of these extinct plants and animals are shown in the table above.

Which of the following is the best explanation for why the fossils were found in all of these locations?

A table shows that fossils of the same extinct animal or plant were found in several locations that are now distant from one another: Mesosaurus, a small freshwater reptile with many sharp teeth, found in South America and Africa; Lystrosaurus, a pig-like land reptile that was about the size of a large dog, found in India, Antarctica, and Africa; Cynognathus, a large predatory reptile about 9 ft long with a do like head, found in Africa and South America; Glossopteris, a prehistoric fern (plant), found in Australia, Antarctica, South America, Africa, and India

A
The plants and animals of the Permian Period must have been able to travel long distances across the oceans in order to expand their habitats.

B
The continental plates that included South America, Africa, India, Antarctica, and Australia must have been connected 300 million years ago.

C
The ocean floors between the continents of South America and Africa must have sunk over the last 300 million years.

D
The fossils of these animals and plants must have been carried across the oceans by violent storms.

Answer 1

The best explanation for why the fossils of the same extinct plants and animals were found in several locations that are now distant from one another is:

**B. The continental plates that included South America, Africa, India, Antarctica, and Australia must have been connected 300 million years ago.**

This explanation aligns with the theory of continental drift and plate tectonics, which suggests that continents were once part of a single landmass (Pangaea) and have since drifted apart. This connection would have allowed the animals and plants to inhabit these areas before the continents separated, resulting in fossil findings in multiple distant locations. The other options (A, C, and D) do not adequately explain the distribution of the fossils in a geological context.