The Fossil Record Indicates That at One Time Marsupials Were

question 41

Multiple Choice

The fossil record indicates that at one time marsupials were common to both Australia and South America,but today most South American marsupials have become extinct.The most probable explanation for marsupials being common to Australia yet not very common to South America today is

• A) South American placental mammals and Australian marsupials interbred, when they occupied similar ecological niches.
• B) marsupials were able to flourish in South America because of its isolation from other landmasses.
• C) placental mammals are less fully developed than marsupials when born, and therefore have a better chance of survival after birth.
• D) South American marsupials were displaced by placental mammals when a land bridge formed between North America and South America about three million years ago.
• E) marsupials can only survive in warm climates like Australia and the Amazon rainforest.

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Definitions:

Glaciers

Slow-moving rivers of ice formed by the accumulation and compaction of snow on mountains or near poles, which shape the land through erosion.

Sea Level

The average height of the ocean's surface between the high and low tide, used as a standard in reckoning land elevation or sea depths.

Ice Block

A large piece of ice, typically extracted from an ice field or frozen body of water.

Water Level

The height of the water surface in a given body of water, such as a river, lake, or ocean, which can vary due to various factors including precipitation and human intervention.