Similar plant fossils were found in different parts of the world, indicating they used to be closer.
Mesosaurus fossils found in both South America and Africa suggest that these continents were once connected. Mesosaurus was a freshwater reptile, incapable of crossing vast oceans, which implies the existence of a single landmass – Pangaea – where the species lived and later separated due to continental drift.
The distribution of similar rock types across continents that were once part of Pangaea, such as the Appalachian mountains in North America aligning with the Caledonian mountains in Europe and North Africa, supports the theory of Pangaea. Additionally, identical fossils, coal deposits, and rock formations found on different continents provide further evidence for the existence of the supercontinent Pangaea.
Fossils play a role in understanding Pangaea and continental drift by demonstrating that similar organisms lived on now widely separated continents, suggesting that these landmasses were once connected. Fossils of the same species found on continents that are now far apart provide evidence that these landmasses were once part of a single supercontinent. By studying the distribution of fossils across different continents, scientists can reconstruct the ancient movements of landmasses and support the theory of continental drift and the existence of Pangaea.
yes it does.
There definitively was a Pangaea. Pangaea implies one continent. Back when the earth was forming, there was no oceans, thus the whole earth would be referred to as Pangaea. Today continents would refer to how much land is above the ocean.
Paleomagnetic data from rocks on different continents can be used to reconstruct the positions of those continents in the past. By comparing the magnetic orientations recorded in the rocks with known patterns of the Earth's magnetic field through time, scientists can determine the past positions of the continents. This can support the existence of Pangaea and help determine when it existed by showing how the continents moved relative to each other.
The case of Mesosaurus does support the theory of continental drift, particularly in the context of plate tectonics. This freshwater reptile's fossils were found in both South America and Africa, which are now separated by the Atlantic Ocean. The presence of such a species in these two distant locations suggests that the continents were once joined, allowing Mesosaurus to inhabit both regions. Thus, it provides evidence against the idea that these continents have always been in their current positions.
well cant say how uniformitarianism would support it but as far as index fossils go think about the fact that a for a single species to survive on multiple continents at same time it would need the same environment and apparently its not the case now but Pangaea was a single continent @ one place with single environment. so if any index fossils spread across multiple continents point towards them being of same environment and the most logical explanation is them being at the similar lat-long which sort of points us towards the idea that is Pangaea!
Clues useful in reconstructing Pangaea include the matching shapes of continents' coastlines, similarities in rock formations and fossils across continents, and the alignment of mountain ranges and geological structures. Additionally, paleoclimatic evidence such as glacial deposits and ancient climate patterns can provide further support for the theory of Pangaea.
Name a fossil that was found on different continents and was used to support the theory of continental drift.
mesosaurus
Fossils found on different continents with similar characteristics suggest that these landmasses were once connected millions of years ago. As continents drift apart, similar fossils can only be explained by the movement of landmasses over time, supporting the theory of continental drift. This provides evidence that different continents were once part of a single supercontinent, such as Pangaea.