CONTINENTAL DRIFT

THEORY

GROUP 4
 BRIEF INTRODUCTION

ALFRED WEGENER IS A SCIENTIST

WHO CAME UP WITH THE
CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY.

HE FOUND SOME EVIDENCE TO

PROVE HIS THEORY
 BRIEF INTRODUCTION

ONE OF THE EVIDENCE

ALFRED WEGENER HAVE IN
HIS THEORY IS THE FOSSIL
CORRELATION
 FOSSIL CORRELATION

On continents that are presently

far apart, ancient fossils of the
same species of extinct plants
and animals can be found in
rocks that are the same age.
 FOSSIL CORRELATION

According to Wegener, the

organisms had coexisted, but
when they died and became
fossils, the lands had migrated.
FOSSIL CORRELATION
 FOSSIL CORRELATION

Four fossil examples include: the

Mesosaurus, Cynognathus,
Lystrosaurus, and Glossopteris.
FOSSIL CORRELATION
 FOSSIL CORRELATION

 An approximately 3 m long terrestrial

reptile from the Triassic epoch is called
Cynognathus (about 225 million years
before present). A terrestrial reptile from
the same era is called Lystrosaurus. A
freshwater reptile called a Mesosaurus
existed. All southern hemisphere
continents, as well as India, have
Glossopteris plant fossils.
 CYNOGNATHUS

 Cynognathus was a mammal-like reptile

that is extinct. Dog jaw is the name's
literal translation. Cynognathus, which
existed in the early to middle Triassic
period, was as big as a modern wolf (250
to 240 million years ago). Only South
Africa and South America have it as
fossils.
 LYSTROSAURUS

Only South Africa, India, and

Antarctica are known to have
Lystrosaurus fossils. Like the land-
dwelling Cynognathus, Lystrosaurus
would not have been able to swim
across any ocean.
 MESOSAURUS

Since Mesosaurus lived in

freshwater lakes and rivers, it is
obvious that it could not have swum
across the breadth of the southern
Atlantic Ocean. Instead, its fossils
have been found in eastern South
America and southern Africa.
 GLOSSOPTERIS

 All the southern continents—Australia,

Antarctica, India, South Africa, and
South America—contain the
Glossopteris fossil. Given that the
Glossopteris seed is known to be big and
heavy, it is impossible for it to have
flown or drifted across the oceans to a
different continent.
SHORT QUIZ
 MULTIPLE CHOICES

1) WHO CAME UP WITH THE

CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY?
A. ALFRED WEGENER
C. ISAAC NEWTON
B. ALFRED WEGEYER
D. ALBERT EINSTEIN
 MULTIPLE CHOICES

2) WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE THAT IS PRESENTED

EARLIER?

A. PALEOCLIMATE DATA

C. FOSSIL CORRELATION

B. APPARENT FIT OF THE CONTINENT

D. ROCKS AND MOUNTAIN

CORRELATION
 TRUE OR FALSE

3) MESOSAURUS IS AN REPTILE THAT

INHABITS FRESHWATER

4)THE FOSSILS ARE FOUND UNDER THE

OCEAN FLOOR
 IDENTIFICATION

5) WHERE DO MESOSAURUS

MESOSAURUS FRESHWATER
LIVE?
LYSTROSAURUS

6)WHAT TYPE OF PLANT FOSSIL

FOSSIL IS THE
CYNOGNATHUS
GLOSSOPTERIS?
GLOSSOPTERIS
 IDENTIFICATION

MESOSAURUS
7-10)
FRESHWATER
WHAT ARE THE LYSTROSAURUS
4 FOSSILS PLANT FOSSIL
THAT ARE
CYNOGNATHUS
FOUND
GLOSSOPTERIS
 MULTIPLE CHOICES

1) WHO CAME UP WITH THE

CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY?
A. ALFRED WEGENER
C. ISAAC NEWTON
B. ALFRED WEGEYER
D. ALBERT EINSTEIN
 MULTIPLE CHOICES

2) WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE THAT IS PRESENTED

EARLIER?

A. PALEOCLIMATE DATA

C. FOSSIL CORRELATION

B. APPARENT FIT OF THE CONTINENT

D. ROCKS AND MOUNTAIN

CORRELATION
 TRUE OR FALSE

3) MESOSAURUS IS A REPTILE THAT

INHABITS FRESHWATER –
TRUE
FALSE

4)THE FOSSILS ARE FOUND UNDER THE

OCEAN FLOOR –
TRUE
FALSE
 IDENTIFICATION

5) WHERE DO MESOSAURUS
MESOSAURUS LIVE? FRESHWATER

LYSTROSAURUS
6)WHAT TYPE OF
PLANT FOSSIL
FOSSIL IS THE
GLOSSOPTERIS? CYNOGNATHUS

GLOSSOPTERIS
 IDENTIFICATION

7-10)
WHAT ARE THE 4
FOSSILS THAT MESOSAURUS
LYSTROSAURUS
ARE FOUND
CYNOGNATHUS
GLOSSOPTERIS