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Ancient Marine Reptiles online course


DE&i

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I've just finished reading through some course notes for a online course called Ancient Marine Reptiles. Inbetween paragraphs you can read interesting " Did you know " comments such as this one below.

"The discovery of mesosaur fossils in South America and southern Africa, on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, has been used as evidence of plate tectonics and continental drift.Since mesosaurs were freshwater reptiles,they could not have swum across the ocean from one continent to the other.So,its presence on both sides of the southern Atlantic suggests that the two land masses were once joined."

Does anyone know of any other fossils found to suggest plate tectonics and continental drifts

Very interesting course so far....and only scratched the surface.

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Regards.....D&E&i

The only certainty with fossil hunting is the uncertainty.

https://lnk.bio/Darren.Withers

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The fossil leaves of Glossopteris were similarly used as evidence for continental drift.

And thus am I proud to have samples of each part of the Glossopteris! :D

"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."
-Romans 14:19

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Alligators as I recall, are found in China (?) and the Americas.

Marsupials Australia, S. America, Africa originally (I think), and Antarctica.

Lemurs on Madagascar, along with the Fusa (sp?)

Arctic terns travel from one extreme to the other, implying that their winter/summer ranges have moved further apart.

I will think on it some more.

Brent Ashcraft

ashcraft, brent allen

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The extinction of thylacosmilus, presumably by eusmilus, movement of "terror birds" into N. America, among other examples of when N. America ran into S. America.

Brent Ashcraft

ashcraft, brent allen

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In regards to continental drift and as stratigraphic markers, trilobites can be very important source of information.

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And thus am I proud to have samples of each part of the Glossopteris! :D

Pics!

:popcorn:

...I'm back.

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Alligators as I recall, are found in China (?) and the Americas.

Marsupials Australia, S. America, Africa originally (I think), and Antarctica.

Lemurs on Madagascar, along with the Fusa (sp?)

Arctic terns travel from one extreme to the other, implying that their winter/summer ranges have moved further apart.

I will think on it some more.

Brent Ashcraft

Let's not forget opossums as marsupials.

...I'm back.

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Let's not forget opossums as marsupials.

And a much more recent immigrant, at least to my part of the world, the armadillo. I often have wondered why it took so long for them to spread into this part of N. America......maybe modern farming practices have allowed them to find food (worms and other invertebrates) more easily?

Brent Ashcraft

ashcraft, brent allen

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...Arctic terns travel from one extreme to the other, implying that their winter/summer ranges have moved further apart...

Unfortunately, Arctic Terns evolved after tectonics had arranged the continents to near their current positions.

This species sees more hours of daylight than any other creature, by traveling from summer to summer. :)

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Absolutely fascinating topic with Elliot and I drawing diagrams to try to understand how these animals could have been displaced over time.

Somehow our research took us to Darwin’s finches and how the species evolved with slight differences to their beaks depending on where they were in the world.

Very absorbing stuff.... :blink:

Regards.....D&E&i

The only certainty with fossil hunting is the uncertainty.

https://lnk.bio/Darren.Withers

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Unfortunately, Arctic Terns evolved after tectonics had arranged the continents to near their current positions.

This species sees more hours of daylight than any other creature, by traveling from summer to summer. :)

I have seen this quoted somewhere..........I will have to investigate further.

Brent Ashcraft

ashcraft, brent allen

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A quick literature search suggests arctic tern migrations were used as evidence for continental drift in the 1940s and 1950s. I couldn't find any info on that being disprove. Of course I did not look very hard. When are arctic terms thought to have become such global travelers?

Brent Ashcraft

ashcraft, brent allen

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A quick literature search suggests arctic tern migrations were used as evidence for continental drift in the 1940s and 1950s. I couldn't find any info on that being disprove. Of course I did not look very hard. When are arctic terms thought to have become such global travelers?

Brent Ashcraft

They need open water. My thought is that their hegira expanded during the last retraction of the ice sheets.

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Unfortunately, Arctic Terns evolved after tectonics had arranged the continents to near their current positions.

This species sees more hours of daylight than any other creature, by traveling from summer to summer. :)

Are Snowbirds second? :P

Don't forget Lystrosaurus, this is a USGS illustration that helps understanding the concept:

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geophys/platevid.html

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