Why are Australian mammals all marsupial while mammals on other continents are mostly placental?
A) The marsupial anatomy is better adapted to the environments of Australia than is the anatomy of placental mammals.
B) The placental anatomy is better adapted to the environments of North and South America than is the anatomy of marsupial mammals.
C) When the continents separated from one another, marsupials on Australia did not have the placental competitors that were present in the Americas.
D) Marsupials out-competed the placental mammals in Australia.
E) Australian mammals have a different common ancestor than mammals elsewhere in the world.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When Australia separated from the other continents, there were no placental mammals present on the continent. This allowed marsupials to evolve and diversify without competition from placental mammals. As a result, all mammals in Australia are marsupials.

Why Are Australian Mammals All Marsupial While Mammals on Other