| Junzi | |
|---|---|
| |
| An artist's illustration of Junzi imperialis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Family: | †Hylobatidae |
| Genus: | †Junzi Turvey et al., 2018 |
| Binomial name | |
| †Junzi imperialis Turvey et al., 2018 | |
Junzi imperialis is an extinct species of gibbon discovered in a tomb in China, based on an incomplete skull. It is thought by archaeologists that specimens of this species were kept as pets by the Chinese royal family, alongside various extant species.
Discovery[]
The only known remains discovered was a skull in a tomb from Shaanxi in 2004. The animal was most likely part of a menagerie of pets kept by the royal family, which also included species cranes, leopards, lynxes, and asian black bears.
Junzi’s name originates from the Chinese word for pet, Junzi (君子). The name was in reference to gibbons of various species being kept as pets by nobles and scholars in China.
Gallery[]
