Which factor most likely caused animals and plants in india to differ greatly from species in nearby southeast asia? which factor most likely caused animals and plants in india to differ greatly from species in nearby southeast asia? life in india was wiped out by ancient volcanic eruptions. the climates of the two regions are similar. india is in the process of separating from the rest of asia. india was a separate continent until 45 million years ago?

The correct answer is - India was a separate continent until 45 million years ago.

India and Southeast Asia despite bordering one another have great differences in the flora and fauna. The reason for that is that India was a separate continent until 45 million years ago, while Southeast Asia was part of Asia. Because of the long period of isolation before the collision with the Asian mainland, the flora and fauna of India developed unique characteristics, mostly found only in India, and some being shared between India and Madagascar as it was the last land with which it was in contact before becoming a separate continent and started moving towards Asia. The differences are bigger in the southern half of India, while in the northern half they are lesser and have more similarities with the flora and fauna of Southeast Asia.