Platysilurus is a genus of long-whiskered catfishes native to South America.

Within this clade, it is considered a part of the "Pimelodus-group" of Pimelodids, which also includes Pimelodus, Exallodontus, Duopalatinus, Cheirocerus, Iheringichthys, Bergiaria, Bagropsis, Parapimelodus, Platystomatichthys, and Propimelodus.

[1] There are currently three recognized species in this genus:[2] P. malarmo is distributed in the Lake Maracaibo basin.

P. mucosus inhabits the Amazon and Orinoco River basins.

[4] P. mucosus grows to a length of at least 20 cm (7.9 in) SL.