Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Lystrosaurus fossils provided which type of evidence supporting the theory of continental drift?
A
Evidence from identical rock types on different continents
B
Evidence from similar climate patterns in different regions
C
Fossil evidence showing similar species on widely separated continents
D
Evidence from matching mountain ranges across continents
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the theory of continental drift, which proposes that continents were once joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea and have since drifted apart over geological time.
Recognize that fossil evidence is one of the key types of evidence supporting continental drift. Fossils of the same species found on widely separated continents suggest these continents were once connected.
Examine the specific case of Lystrosaurus fossils. Lystrosaurus was a land-dwelling reptile whose fossils have been discovered in regions such as Africa, India, and Antarctica, which are now separated by vast oceans.
Interpret the significance of these fossils: Lystrosaurus could not have crossed oceans, so its presence on multiple continents indicates that these landmasses were once joined, allowing the species to inhabit them all.
Conclude that the correct type of evidence provided by Lystrosaurus fossils is fossil evidence showing similar species on widely separated continents, supporting the theory of continental drift.