Plithocyon is an extinct genus of hemicyonine bear of the Miocene epoch, endemic to North America and Europe. It lived from ~15.97—11.61 Ma, existing for approximately 4 million years.

Sites and age of some specimens:

• Hemicyon Quarry, Barstow Formation, San Bernardino County, California ~13.7—11.6 Ma.
• Ruby River Basin No.5, Madison County, Montana ~23—5.3 Ma.
• Pasalar site, Bursa, Turkey ~16—13.7 Ma.
• Pontigne site, France ~11.6—7.2 Ma.

• Plithocyon antunesi Ginsburg & Morales, 1998
• Plithocyon armagnacensis Ginsburg, 1955
• Plithocyon barstowensis Frick, 1926
• Plithocyon bruneti Ginsburg, 1980
• Plithocyon conquense Ginsberg
• Plithocyon ursinus Cope, 1875

• Ginsburg, L. & Morales, J. 1998. Les Hemicyoninae (Ursidae, Carnivora, Mammalia) et les formes apparentées du Miocène inférieur et moyen d'Europe occidentale. Ann. Paléontol. 84 (1): 71–123.