Why were the fossil remains of Mesosaurus important to Alfred Wegener?(1 point)
The fossil remains of Mesosaurus were important to Alfred Wegener because they provided evidence for his theory of continental drift. Mesosaurus was a freshwater reptile that lived about 270 million years ago and had been found in both South America and Africa. Wegener used the distribution of Mesosaurus fossils as evidence to support his hypothesis that South America and Africa were once part of a single landmass and had drifted apart over time.
The fossil remains of Mesosaurus were important to Alfred Wegener because they provided evidence for his theory of continental drift. Mesosaurus was a freshwater reptile that lived during the early Permian period and its remains were found in both Brazil and South Africa. Wegener noticed that the distribution of Mesosaurus fossils on these two continents was significant because at the time, they were located far apart. This finding supported Wegener's hypothesis that the continents were once joined together in a single landmass, which he called Pangaea, and had drifted apart over time.
The fossil remains of Mesosaurus were important to Alfred Wegener because they provided evidence for his theory of continental drift.
To understand why they were important, let's explore the process of how Wegener arrived at his theory:
1. Observation: Wegener observed that the coastlines of South America and Africa appeared to fit together like puzzle pieces, suggesting that they were once part of a single landmass.
2. Fossil Evidence: He noticed that identical fossil remains of ancient reptiles called Mesosaurus were found on both South America and Africa. This discovery was significant because it indicated that these two continents were once connected, allowing the reptiles to freely move between them.
3. Geological Features: Wegener also noticed similarities in rock formations and geological structures on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, strengthening his idea that the continents were once joined.
4. Continental Drift Hypothesis: Based on these observations, Wegener proposed the hypothesis of continental drift, suggesting that the Earth's continents were once joined together in a single supercontinent called Pangaea, then gradually drifted apart over millions of years.
5. Additional Evidence: In addition to the Mesosaurus fossils, Wegener gathered further evidence from various fields such as geology, paleontology, and climate, to support his theory of continental drift.
Therefore, the fossil remains of Mesosaurus were significant to Alfred Wegener as they provided crucial evidence of the past connection between South America and Africa, supporting his theory of continental drift.