We did [i][b]not[/b][/i] evolve from the animal you consider apes today. We evolved from a different subspecies, known as austrophipicalus (whatever its -blam!-ing name is) to homo erectus. Then along side erectus Neanderthals came into being, a very very similar species to erectus. Some believe they interbred, some believe that erectus beat the Neanderthals. After homo erectus came homo sapien, then homo sapien sapien. Apes evolved from a completely different chain, yet did come from distant cousins to our ancestors.