Which of the following statements best explains how continental drift caused the uniqueness of Australian fauna before Europeans settled on the continent?
A) Marsupials remained on Australia when continental drift connected it to southeast Asia.
B) Eutherians went extinct in Australia after continental drift separated Australia from southeast Asia.
C) Continental drift separated Australia from the other continents after both marsupials and eutherians evolved but these marsupials underwent adaptive radiation and the eutherians went extinct.
D) Continental drift broke the land bridge between Australia and southeast Asia, isolating marsupials on Australia and allowed them to diversify and occupy many ecological niches.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Continental drift separated Australia from other continents after both marsupials and eutherians evolved, leading to the adaptive radiation of marsupials while eutherians went extinct, resulting in the unique fauna of Australia.

Which of the Following Statements Best Explains How Continental Drift