In the figure below,the region at the lower right indicated by the arrow is the only modern-day location of the freshwater lungfish.Fossils of the ancestors of the lungfish,however,have been found all over the world (dots throughout the map).What does the distribution of these fossils indicate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The distribution of lungfish fossils found all over the world, including regions that are now separated by oceans, suggests that the ancestors of the lungfish existed on the supercontinent Pangaea before it broke apart. As this happened, the fossils were separated by continental drift. This is supported by the fact that the modern-day location of the freshwater lungfish is indicated by the arrow in the lower right corner of the map, which is consistent with the location of Gondwana, one of the landmasses that made up Pangaea. Choice A is incorrect because it incorrectly implies that the lungfish themselves were separated on the smaller continents, not just their fossils. Choice B is incorrect because it suggests that the same species of lungfish evolved independently on different landmasses, which is unlikely given the tremendous geographic barriers and differences in environmental conditions. Choice D is unsupported by any evidence in the given information.

In the Figure Below,the Region at the Lower Right Indicated