Which one of the following is the most primitive ancestor of man?

(A) Homo habilis

(B) Australopithecus

(C) Rampithecuspunjabicus

(D) Homo neanderthalensis

Homo neanderthalensis is a separate Homo species that evolved independently of humans, and went extinct around 40,000 years ago. Rampithecus punjabicus is the ancestor of the modern orangutan, and is not the ancestor of modern man. Homo habilis and Australopithecus are both ancestors of humans, although H. habilis evolved from Australopithecus. Hence, option (B) Australopithecus is the right answer to this question.