Question

despite living oceans apart, the north american kangaroo rat and the australian hopping mouse look similar. both are nocturnal and burrow underground. what can you infer?
nothing. their similarity is a coincidence.
theyre similar because they lived near each other on pangaea and separated when the continent split.
they have similar traits because they both live in deserts where burrowing and nocturnal behavior are beneficial.

Explanation:

This is an example of convergent evolution. Organisms that are geographically separated but live in similar habitats (in this case, likely desert - like habitats where burrowing and nocturnal behavior are advantageous) can develop similar traits independently.

Answer:

They have similar traits because they both live in deserts where burrowing and nocturnal behavior are beneficial.