ɐ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː pˌiːˈeɪtʃ.dˈiː. ɹᵻsˈɪpiənt æt hˈɑːɹvɚd jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi, plˈætnɪk dᵻskɹˈaɪbd ˌoʊvɚ wˈʌn,ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd spˈiːsiːz ʌv spˈaɪdɚz fɹʌm ɚɹˈaʊnd ðə wˈɜːld, mˌeɪkɪŋ hˌɪm ðə sˈɛkənd mˈoʊst pɹəlˈɪfɪk spˈaɪdɚ tæksˈɑːnəmˌɪst ɪn hˈɪstɚɹi, bᵻhˌaɪnd ˈoʊnli jˈuːdʒiːn sˈaɪmən.
A 1973 Ph.D. recipient at Harvard University, Platnick described over 1,800 species of spiders from around the world, making him the second most prolific spider taxonomist in history, behind only Eugène Simon.