Which term describes bipedal apes and their ancestors?

The term that accurately describes bipedal apes and their ancestors is "Hominins." Hominins refer specifically to the group that includes modern humans and our extinct relatives and ancestors that are more closely related to us than to chimpanzees and bonobos. This group encompasses all species along the human lineage since the split from our common ancestor with these primates, highlighting traits such as bipedalism and increased brain size.

In contrast, "Homo sapiens" refers solely to modern humans and does not include other related species that may have been bipedal. "Primates" is a broader classification that includes all monkeys, apes, and prosimians, extending well beyond the narrow focus of bipedal evolution. Lastly, "Ape ancestors" would not encompass the full range of species that make up the hominin lineage, as it suggests an incomplete representation of our evolutionary history. Thus, "Hominins" is the most accurate term to describe this specific evolutionary group.