Key to the species of Platytyphlops
1. Carapace with multiple ridges, not including marginal carina.................................................. 11
- Carapace without ridges except marginal carina, may have branchial swellings..................................... 2
2. Marginal carina serrate................................................................................. 4
- Marginal carina entire.................................................................................. 3
3. Uropod peduncle with 5 setae medially............................................................. P. cherkii
- Uropod peduncle with more than 10 setae medially................................................. P. orbicularis
4. Carapace covered with teeth, spines or tubercles, dorsal of marginal carina........................................ 5
- Carapace with few or no teeth, spines or tubercles............................................................ 8
5. Carapace covered with acute teeth or spines................................................................. 6
- Carapace covered with blunt tubercles..................................................................... 7
6. Carapace with acute teeth or spines dorsal of margin carina only. P5 minute, shorter than article 1 of antennule peduncle........................................................................................... P. echinatus n. sp.
- Carapace with acute teeth or spines ventral of marginal carina. P5 longer than article 1 of antennule peducle..................................................................................................... P. bamberi n. sp.
7. Antennule article 1 expanded as wing-like shape.................................................. P. tuberculatus
- Antennule article 1 normal, cylindrical shape................................................... P. petrescui n. sp.
8. Antennule accessory flagellum at least as long as main flagellum................................................ 9
- Antennule accessory flagellum shorter than main flagellum................................................... 10
9. Carapace as wide as long........................................................................ P. girardi
- Carapace distinctly longer than wide........................................................... P. semiornatus
10. Marginal carina teeth equal in size throughout.................................................. P. carpusserratus
- Marginal carina teeth decreasing in size posteriorly................................................. P. corolliferus
11. Uropod endopod article 1 twice the length of articles 2 and 3 together or more.................................... 12
- Uropod endopod article 1 less than twice the length of articles 2 and 3 together.................................... 15
12. Telson with 5 terminal setae............................................................................ 13
- Telson with 3 terminal setae............................................................................ 14
13. Uropod endopod article 1 with 28 or more setae.................................................. P. lowryi n. sp.
- Uropod endopod article 1 with 20 setae.......................................................... P. arafurensis
14. Submedian pair of ridges short, produced as blunt tooth............................................. P. peringueyi
- Submedian pair of ridges half length of carapace.................................................... P. grimaldii
15. Carapace with 1 ridge parallel to marginal carina, short submedian pair of ridges........................... P. ledoyeri
- Carapace with at least 3 pairs of ridges.................................................................... 16
16. Eye lobe with at least 2 lenses or tumidities................................................................ 17
- Eye lobe entirely without lens or tumidities................................................................ 19
17. Carapace ridges tall, narrow, with undulating hyaline margin.......................................... P. racovitzai
- Carapace ridges blunt................................................................................. 18
18. Carapace ridges with margins not undulate, pseudorostrum pointed...................................... P. mawsoni
- Carapace ridges incomplete, pseudorostrum excavate.................................................... P. latus
19. Central terminal seta on telson much shorter than outer pair terminal setae........................... P. taylorae n. sp.
- Terminal setae on telson equal.......................................................................... 20
20. Telson much shorter than uropod peduncles................................................................ 21
- Telson as long or longer than uropod peduncles....................................................... P. asperus
21. Ridge on the pseudorostrum........................................................................ P. rossi
- Pseudorostrum without ridges.................................................................... P. crosnieri