To determine the connecting link between ape and man, we can follow these steps:
### Step-by-Step Solution:
1. **Understanding Human Evolution**:
- Human evolution involves various species that exhibit both ape-like and human-like characteristics.
2. **Identifying Key Species**:
- The key species in the evolutionary timeline include Dryopithecus, Ramapithecus, Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Neanderthal man, and Cro-Magnon man.
3. **Analyzing Dryopithecus and Ramapithecus**:
- Dryopithecus is considered to have more ape-like features, while Ramapithecus exhibits more human-like traits. However, neither of these species serves as a connecting link due to their distinct characteristics leaning more towards one type.
4. **Focusing on Australopithecus**:
- Australopithecus, which existed around 40,000 years ago, is recognized as a significant connecting link. It possessed both human and ape-like features, making it a transitional species.
5. **Characteristics of Australopithecus**:
- Australopithecus had a height of approximately 1.5 meters and a brain capacity akin to that of an ape (around 500 cc). It exhibited bipedal locomotion, an omnivorous diet, an erect posture, and human-like teeth, but its brain size was smaller than modern humans.
6. **Conclusion**:
- Given the combination of features, Australopithecus is considered the connecting link between apes and humans. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is **Australopithecus**.
### Final Answer:
The connecting link between ape and man is **Australopithecus**.
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