Answer:
A) It depends on the dispersal abilities of the organism. If the organism cannot move across the open ocean, it is very likely that the groupʹs ancestors were present on the original land mass before it broke up.
Explanation:
A) It depends on the dispersal abilities of the organism. If the organism cannot move across the open ocean, it is very likely that the groupʹs ancestors were present on the original land mass before it broke up.
B) The groupʹs ancestors cannot have been present on the original land mass before it broke up.
C) The groupʹs ancestors were definitely present on the original land mass before it broke up.
D) The groupʹs ancestors must have independently colonized each of the land masses from a third location within the past 45 million years.
The two land masses are separated by deep ocean channel which are purported to have been moving apart since 45 million years ago. Hence, for the organisms to have a widespread population on both land masses, either of two things are possible:
The correct option is A.