Which ancient land mass included present-day South America, Africa, India, Australia, and Antarctica?

The ancient land mass that included present-day South America, Africa, India, Australia, and Antarctica is known as Gondwana. Gondwana was a significant supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, around 540 to 180 million years ago.

Gondwana is characterized by its role in the breakup of continents due to tectonic activity. Its configuration allowed for species and ecosystems to flourish across these now-separated landmasses, contributing to a fascinating history of plate tectonics and biogeography. Understanding Gondwana is crucial in the study of continental drift, as it laid the groundwork for the current arrangement of continents we see today.

In contrast, Pangaea refers to a later supercontinent that formed after Gondwana and included almost all of Earth's landmasses approximately 335 to 175 million years ago. Laurasia, on the other hand, consisted of the northern landmasses that separated from Gondwana as it broke apart. Rodinia is another ancient supercontinent that existed before Gondwana, making it less relevant to the question at hand.