Where does the mesosaurus live?

Mesosaurus was a lizard-like animal that lived in South America and Africa during the Permian Period. Mesosaurus is considered one of the earliest aquatic relatives of reptiles and mammals [1].

1. Did the Mesosaurus live on land?
2. Why was the Mesosaurus found in South America and Africa?
3. Why could Mesosaurus not have swam across the Atlantic Ocean?
4. When did Mesosaurus live?
5. What was the land like where Mesosaurus lived?
6. Can Mesosaurus swim long distance?
7. What is the land like where Mesosaurus fossils are found quizlet?
8. How did the Mesosaurus fossils get so far apart?
9. Is it likely that Mesosaurus swam back and forth?
10. Was Mesosaurus a fully aquatic reptile?
11. In what continent is fossil Mesosaurus found?
12. Can a Mesosaurus swim across the ocean?
13. Where are the Mesosaurus fossils located today?
14. Is there a possibility that Mesosaurus from South America could have swam the Atlantic Ocean to reach Africa?

Did the Mesosaurus live on land?

Mesosaurus were among the first reptiles to live in and around water, and they spent most of their lives in the water. However, their bodies weren't built for swimming long distances, so they stayed close to land.

Why was the Mesosaurus found in South America and Africa?

The fossils of this prehistoric reptile have been discovered in eastern South America and southern Africa, and since Mesosaurus lived in freshwater lakes and rivers, it clearly couldn't have swum across the expanse of the southern Atlantic Ocean.

Why could Mesosaurus not have swam across the Atlantic Ocean?

Now if the continents were in still their present positions, there is no possibility that the Mesosaurus would have the capability to swim across such a large body of ocean as the Atlantic because it was a coastal animal. Modern day representation of the Cynognathus.

When did Mesosaurus live?

Mesosaurs are lizard-like reptiles that lived at the beginning of the Permian Period (280–290 million years ago) or even earlier. Mesosaurs are known from thousands of skeletons recovered in Uruguay, Brazil, and Southern Africa, including young and adult individuals and even an embryo and a pregnant female.

What was the land like where Mesosaurus lived?

Mesosaurus lived in freshwater lakes and ponds. Elongated and slim, it measured about 1 metre (3.3 feet) long. The skull and tail were both long and narrow, and the animal probably undulated through the water as it fed on small crustaceans and other prey with its jaws, which were full of long, thin, pointed teeth.

Can Mesosaurus swim long distance?

Mesosaurus was an ancient lizard that lived about 300 million years ago. Mesosaurus fossils have been found in South America and in Africa. Although the Mesosaurus lived in and around the water, it was not able to swim long distances; it could not have made the journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

What is the land like where Mesosaurus fossils are found quizlet?

What is the land like where the Mesosaurus fossils are found? The fossils are found in both South America and Africa, about 4,000km apart. Why are fossils of speices that once lived together found in diffent locations on Earth now? The plates can move causing landmasses to move apart from each other.

How did the Mesosaurus fossils get so far apart?

How did the Mesosaurus fossils on the South American Plate and African Plate get so far apart? Earth's plates travel at a rate too slow to be experienced by humans. It takes a long time for Earth's plates to travel great distances. The Mesosaurus fossils moved apart gradually over tens of millions of years.

Is it likely that Mesosaurus swam back and forth?

Is it likely that Mesosaurus swam back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean? ... Yes, because fossils were found in only two regions that are now separated by the Atlantic Ocean.

Was Mesosaurus a fully aquatic reptile?

Mesosaurus. Image credit: Roman Yevseyev / Graciela Piñeiro. “Despite being considered the oldest-known fully aquatic reptile, mesosaurs share several anatomical features with terrestrial species,” said Professor Graciela Piñeiro, from the Universidad de la República in Uruguay.

In what continent is fossil Mesosaurus found?

Remains of Mesosaurus, a freshwater crocodile-like reptile that lived during the early Permian (between 286 and 258 million years ago), are found solely in Southern Africa and Eastern South America. It would have been physiologically impossible for Mesosaurus to swim between the continents.

Can a Mesosaurus swim across the ocean?

Mesosaurus was an ancient lizard that lived about 300 million years ago. ... Mesosaurus fossils have been found in South America and in Africa. Although the Mesosaurus lived in and around the water, it was not able to swim long distances; it could not have made the journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

Where are the Mesosaurus fossils located today?

Mesosaurus fossils are found today in rocks in southern Africa and eastern South America. Back in the Permian those two locations were jammed against each other as part of the southern half of Pangaea called Gondwana, so the living range of Mesosaurus did not span an entire ocean.

Is there a possibility that Mesosaurus from South America could have swam the Atlantic Ocean to reach Africa?

For example, fossils of the ancient reptile mesosaurus are only found in southern Africa and South America. Mesosaurus, a freshwater reptile only one meter (3.3 feet) long, could not have swum the Atlantic Ocean. ... South America and Africa were not the only continents with similar geology.