Question

The island of Madagascar is located just off the SE coast of Africa, in the Indian Ocean. Scientists find species on this island that have close biological relatives in both Australia and India. They also find that at each location there are fossils of similar organisms. What is the most likely explanation for this similarity between organisms in Madagascar, India, and Australia?

A. The organisms were introduced to all three places by extraterrestrial beings.
B. The ancestor of these organisms lived on a landmass long ago that included Madagascar, India, and Australia.
C. These organisms were moved back and forth to these different places by humans in recent geological history.
D. These organisms independently arose by natural selection in each location.
E. They are on the same side of Wallace’s line.

Answer 1

B. The ancestor of these organisms lived on a landmass long ago that included Madagascar, India, and Australia.

Step-by-step explanation: