Question

Making Inferences: Fossils of Mesosaurus, have been found only in Africa and South America. Using what you know about plate tectonics, how would you explain this finding?

Answer 1

Perhaps Mesosaurus evolved after Pangaea broke up but before South America and Africa split apart.

Answer 2

The fossil of Mesosaurus proves the hypothesis of "continental drift". This can be defined as the gradual movement of continents across earth's surface by the movement of tectonic plates. This fossil is an example of the other fossils that are found on separate continents and no where else, this suggests that the continents were once joined. The distance between South America and Africa is not less, it is physiologically not possible for Mesosaurus to swim between two continents. This proves that once the continents were joined and as a result of continental drift they are separated.