Biology:Plithocyon

Short description: Extinct genus of bears

Plithocyon Temporal range: Miocene PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Plithocyon armagnacensis skull
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Ursidae
Subfamily:	†Hemicyoninae
Genus:	†Plithocyon Ginsburg, 1955
Species
see text

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.

Fossil distribution

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.

Species

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

References

• 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.

Wikidata ☰ Q7205035 entry