Described in the journal Science in June 2018, the now-extinct gibbon Junzi imperialis is not only the newest species of ape, but also the most recent genus of ape discovered. The gibbon's remains were part of an animal menagerie excavated in 2004 from a 2,200–2,300-year-old tomb located near the former royal capital of Xi'an in Shaanxi Province, China. Although only a partial skull, jawbone and forelimb bones were remaining, extensive morphometric tests confirm that Junzi imperialis is distinct from the four extant genera of gibbons, as well as the extinct Bunopithecus sericus, another gibbon unearthed in China that was formally described in 1923.In the past, gibbons were considered noble animals in China;they were often associated with scholar-officials (junzi), and they became high-status pets from the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BCE).Junzi imperialis is also believed to be the first ape driven extinct by humans (e.g., hunting and habitat destruction, among other factors), c. the 18th century.This study was a collaboration between the ZSL's Institute of Zoology, University College London, the University of Southampton (all UK), Arizona State University (USA) and the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology (China), led by ZSL's Professor Samuel Turvey.