T. Keith Philips

Keith Philips at Obomeng-Kwahu in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Photo by Chris DeWildt, January 2006.

I am mainly interested in the diversity, evolution, and conservation of Coleoptera. Recent projects have dealt with the evolution of dung beetles and some of their tribes using morphological evidence.  An oniticelline-onthophagine phylogeny should be published in the near future. 

Current scarab research involves the dung beetles of Ghana, including both taxonomic and ecological studies. One of the goals is to enable us to quickly access the health of various habitats in what is known as the upper guinean forest. This region is considered one of 25 biodiversity hotspots on the planet with localities high in biodiversity that are also under serious threat.  I am also studying the ghanaian cetoniines with Jesús Orozco and have studied the scarabaeines of the West Indies, especially in the Dominican Republic with Mike Ivie.

One last group that I love to study are the spider beetles (and the anobiids and the more inclusive Bostrichoidea).  One should realize that some species are also DUNG beetles!

T. Keith Philips
Systematics and Evolution Laboratory
Department of Biology
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd.
Bowling Green, KY 42101-3576
U.S.A.

TEL (Office): 270-745-3419
TEL (Lab): 270-745-2394
FAX: 270-745-6856
EMAIL: Keith.Philips@wku.edu

43. Krell, F.-T. and T.K. Philips. 2010. Formicdubius Philips & Scholtz from South Africa, a junior synonym of Haroldius Boucomont, and a survey of the trichomes in the African species (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Onthophagini). Zookeys 34: 41-48.

42. Orozco, J. and T.K. Philips. 2010. Morphological evidence on the phylogeny of the New World Cetoniini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae). Insect Systematics and Evolution 41: 39-54.

41. Akotsen-mensah, C. and T.K. Philips. 2009. Description of a new genus of spider beetle (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) from South Africa. Zootaxa. 2160: 51–67.

40. Davis, A.L.V. and T.K. Philips. 2009. Regional Fragmentation of Rain Forest in West Africa and Its Effect on Local Dung Beetle Assemblage Structure. Biotropica 41: 215–220.

39. Bell, K.L. and T.K. Philips. 2009. Six New Species of the Myrmecophile Polyplocotes Westwood (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) from South Australia. Australian Journal of Entomology. 48:15–24.

38. Bell, K.L. and T.K. Philips. 2008. A Revision of the South African myrmecophile Diplocotidus (Coleoptera: Ptinidae). African Entomology 16: 33-40.

37. Philips, T.K. and M.A. Ivie. 2008. Seven new species of Canthochilum Chapin from Hispaniola (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae).  Zootaxa 1730: 27-42.

36. Bell, K.L. and T.K. Philips. 2008. Four New Species of the Myrmecophile Diplocotes Westwood (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) from Central and North-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Entomology 47: 80-86.

35. Philips, T.K. and K.L. Bell. 2008. Attavicinus, a new generic name for the myrmecophilous dung beetle Liatongus monstrosus (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) and notes on the species.  Coleopterists Bulletin 62: 67-81.

34. Ivie, M.A. and T.K.Philips. 2008.Three new species of Canthonella Chapin from Hispaniola, with new records and nomenclatural changes for West Indian dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae).  Zootaxa 1701: 1–14.

33. Majka, C.G., T.K. Philips, and C. Sheffield. 2007. Ptinus sexpunctatus Panzer (Coleoptera: Anobiidae: Ptininae) newly recorded in North America.  Entomological News 118: 73-76.

32. Emlen, D.J. and T.K. Philips. 2006. Phylogenetic evidence for an association between tunneling behavior and the evolution of horns in dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) (pp. 47-56).  In: M.L. Jameson and B.C. Ratcliffe (editors), Scarabaeoidea in the 21st Century: A Festchrift Honoring Henry F. Howden. Coleopterists Society Monograph, No. 5, 219 pp.

31. Philips, T.K. 2005. Acanthaptinus triplehorni: A new genus and species of spider beetle (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) from Madagascar.  Annales Zoologici (Warszawa) 55: 583-587.

30. Davis, A.L.V. and T.K. Philips. 2005. Effect of Deforestation on a Southwest Ghana Dung Beetle Assemblage (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) at the Periphery of Ankasa Conservation Area. Environmental Entomology 34: 1081-1088.

29. Ocampo, F.C. and T.K. Philips. 2005. Food relocation and nesting behavior of the Argentinian dung beetle genus Eucranium Brullé and comparison with the southwest African Scarabaeus (Pachysoma) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae). Revista de la Sociedad Entomologica Argentina 64: 53-59.

28. Forgie, S. A., T.K. Philips and C.H. Scholtz. 2004. Evolution of the Scarabaeini (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae). Systematic Entomology 30: 60-96.

27. Philips, T.K. and D.E. Foster. 2004. Cryptopeniculus nigrosetus n.g., n.sp. (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) from the Namaqualand region of South Africa. Zootaxa 577: 1-11 .

26. Philips, T.K., R. Pretorius, and C.H. Scholtz. 2004. A phylogenetic analysis of the dung beetles: (Scarabaeinae: Scarabaeidae): Unrolling an evolutionary history.  Invertebrate Systematics 18: 1-36.

25. Philips, T.K., D. W. Edmonds and C.H. Scholtz. 2004. Phylogenetic analysis of the New World Phanaeini (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae): Hypotheses on origins and relationships. Insect Systematics and Evolution 35: 43-63.

24. Lee, C.-F., T.K. Philips and P.-S. Yang. 2003. Revision of the genus Afroeubria Villiers (Coleoptera: Psephenidae: Eubriinae). Annals of the Transvaal Museum 40:137-143.

23. Harrison, J. du G. and T.K. Philips. 2003. Phylogeny of Pachysoma MacLeay and related flightless Scarabaeini (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae). Annals of the Transvaal Museum 40: 47-71

22. Lee, C.-F., T.K. Philips and P.-S. Yang. 2003. Afrobrianax, a new genus of the Eubrianacinae (Coleoptera: Psephenidae) with notes on its phylogenetic position and description of one new species from South Africa. African Entomology 11:1-8.

21. Philips, T.K., C.H. Scholtz and F. C. Ocampo. 2002. A phylogenetic analysis of the Eucraniini (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae). Insect Systematics and Evolution 33: 241-252.

20. Davis, A.L.V., C.H. Scholtz and T.K. Philips. 2002. Historical biogeography of scarabaeine dung beetles.  Journal of Biogeography 29: 1-41.

19. Pretorius, R., T.K. Philips and C.H. Scholtz. 2001. Geometric morphometrics, the metendosternite and its use in phylogenetics of the Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera). Elytron 14: 125-144.

18. Philips, T.K. 2001.A record of  Micromalthus debilis LeConte (Coleoptera: Micromalthidae) from Central America and a discussion of its distribution. Florida Entomologist 84:159-160.

17. O’Neill, K.M., W.P. Kemp, C. Seibert, M.G. Rolston, J.A. Bess, and T.K. Philips. 2001. Natural enemy assemblages on native and reseeded grasslands in southwestern Montana: a family-level analysis. Western North American Naturalist 61: 195-203.

16. Philips, T.K. and C.H. Scholtz. 2000. A new genus and species of trichome bearing dung beetle (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) from South Africa. African Entomology 8: 227-231. 

15. Philips, T.K. 2000. A Phylogenetic analysis of the New World Ptininae (Coleoptera: Bostrichoidea). Systematic Entomology. 25: 1-29.

14. Bond, W.B. and T.K. Philips. 1999. Diversity, phenology, and flower hosts of anthophilous long-horned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in a southeastern Ohio forest. Entomological News. 110: 267-278.

13. Philips, T.K. 1999. Revision of the New World genus Niptinus Fall (Coleoptera: Anobiidae: Ptininae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 71: 137-158.

12. Philips, T.K., W.E. Steiner, and C.A. Triplehorn. 1998. A new species of Central American Platydema Laporte and Brullé (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) recently established in Florida. Coleopterists Bulletin. 52: 291-296.

11. Philips, T.K. 1998. A new genus and species of putatively myrmecophilous ptinine, Coleoaethes tetralobus (Coleoptera: Anobiidae: Ptininae). Pan-Pacific Entomologist. 74(2): 1-5.

10. Philips, T.K., and M.A. Ivie. 1998. The Methiini of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) with notes on circum-Caribbean species. Entomologica Scandinavia. 29: 57-87.

9. Philips, T.K. and D.C. Smith. 1998. Notes on the biology and hosts of Procecidochares atra (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae): Evidence for cryptic species. Entomological News. 109: 159-164.

8. Philips, T.K. 1998. A new genus and species of spider beetle from the Virgin Islands: Lachnoniptus lindae (Coleoptera: Anobiidae: Ptininae). Florida Entomologist. 81: 1-6.

7. Philips, T.K., M.A. Ivie and L.L. Ivie. 1998. Leaf mining in spider beetles (Coleoptera: Anobiidae: Ptininae): An unreported mode of larval feeding in the Bostrichoidea. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 100: 147-153.

6. Philips, T.K. 1997. Cubaptinus Zayas, a new synonym of Fabrasia Martínez and Viana (Coleoptera: Anobiidae: Ptininae). Coleopterists Bulletin. 51: 52.

5. Philips, T.K., R.G. Hancock, and W.A. Foster. 1996. Epigamic display and unique mating position in Wyeomyia arthrostigma. (Diptera: Culicidae) Journal of Insect Behavior. 9: 739-753.

4. Ivie, M.A., T.K. Philips, and K.A. Johnson. 1990.High altitude aggregations of Anetia briarea Godart (Nymphalidae: Danainae). Journal of the Lepidopterist's Society. 44: 209-214.

3. Ivie, M.A. and T.K. Philips. 1990. New Species of Canthonella Chapin from Hispaniola (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society. 98: 429-433.

2. Philips, T.K. and M.A. Ivie. 1989.Familial placement of Atenizoides curacaoae (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, Anthicidae). Pan-Pacific Entomologist. 65: 162.

1. Klassen, R.A., J.V. Matthews Jr., and T.K. Philips. 1983.Taxa in lake sediments of the District of Keewatin. Current Research, Geological Survey of Canada, Part A: 357-361.