What does it mean when fossils of the same species are found on different continents, such as the reptile Mesosaurus which has been found in both Africa and South America?
1 Answer
Feb 6, 2016
This is usually taken to be evidence for plate tectonic movement of the contents.
Explanation:
Earth's plates have been in motion for over 3 billion years. They move at a very slow rate - usually measured in millions of years - and continents are either torn apart or collide together to form very large single continents. Fossils of the same genus/species suggest that contents that were once together, must have been together in the geological past.
