Key to Australian Platythyrea Species

The following key to Australian Platythyrea species (based on workers and queens) has been modified from Brown (1975 ).

1

 * Petiolar node seen from directly above longer than broad, or rarely about as broad as, or even slightly broader than,  long, but always much narrower than pronotum; maxillary  palpi short, not extending much beyond buccal cavity => Platythyrea parallela
 * Petiolar node seen from above much broader than long (W at least 1.25 X L), nearly, or quite, as broad as pronotum; maxillary palpi very long, extending almost to foramen magnum => 2

2

 * Petiolar node brownish red, contrasting with dark brown of head and gaster (E, S, and SW Australia) => Platythyrea turneri
 * Head and body unicolorous brown or ferruginous => 3

3

 * Color dark brown; most standing hairs of dorsal body surfaces < 0.08 mm long; posterodorsal margin of petiolar node unarmed in the middle (SW Australia) => Platythyrea micans
 * Color yellowish ferruginous; most standing hairs of dorsal body surfaces > 0.10 mm long; posterodorsal margin of petiolar node with a sharp, upturned median tooth (SW Australia) => Platythyrea dentinodis
 * Color ferruginous, appendages and legs brown; posterodorsal margin of petiolar node with a weakly indicated median tooth (S Australia: Reevesby L) => Platythyrea brunnipes