L5 Mills - Biogeography and Phylogenetics

Question 1

What 2 phenomena affected animal distribution?

Answer 1

1. Vicariance - continental drift etc. (anything caused by chance
2. Dispersal - movements of animals

Question 2

Describe briefly the historical Biogeography of Marsupials

Answer 2

~100mya (mid cretaceous) - Marsupials found in N.America

55mya - fossils found in Australia, must have moved from N.America through S.America and Antarctica to Australia

20mya - mammals found in N.Africa and Eurasia up until this point

2.5mya - N and S America join back up = great American exchange