Entomology and Nematology Dept. University of Florida Bldg. 970 Natural Area Drive Gainesville, FL 32611
Phone:
352-392-1901, ext. 166
Personal history
Born in St. Johnsbury, Vt. Raised in Monroe, New Hampshire. Attended High School in Wallingford, Connecticut at Choate School (presently Choate Rosemary Hall). Attended the University of Vermont in Burlington prior to entering the US Air Force in 1969. Served 4 years in USAF as Photographic Processing Specialist with tours in Colorado, Texas, Vietnam, and South Carolina. Upon discharge from USAF returned to college at University of New Hampshire to complete undergraduate degree in Entomology.
Moved to Florida in 1975 to attend graduate school. Have been here ever since!
Education
Ph.D Entomology - 1989 University of Florida. Dissertation Title: The relationship between palpal morphology and host seeking behavior in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae), especially Culiseta melanura (Coq.)
B. S. Entomology 1975 - University of New Hampshire
Employment
I am presently employed by the University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department as Lecturer. I teach distance education classes (ALS 3203), Personal Computer Use, and Insect Classification (ENY 4161/6166), as well as an on-campus section of Insect Classification. My teaching philosophy is expressed in its own web page. Additionally I am the Entomology and Nematology Department webmaster, and am continually working on distance education and delivery of educational material via the Internet and World Wide Web. I served as departmental photographer (1997-2001) supporting departmental and extension publication needs.
Teaching Experience, Information technology and Computer Skills
1991-1995 - I assisted in a 3 credit course, ENY 5810, Information Techniques in Research. Duties included grading assignments and conducting student help sessions in the computer laboratory. Subject matter included literature searching and bibliographic software (EndNOte and Papyrus, spreadsheets (Excel), Word processing (MS Word, Word Perfect), and slide presentation techniques (Film recorder and MS Power Point).
1989 - Present - I have developed and delivered an online (WWW)course, ALS 3203, Personal Computer Use in Agriculture. Delivery is totally via the World Wide Web and the Internet. Exams are delivered and graded online. I have developed PHP scripts which automatically score results, show which questions were missed and the incorrect answers. Students learn basic computer skills by completing weekly tasks and by taking weekly quizzes, all online. In order to accomplish this I have had to learn PHP3 and PHP4 scripting languages, ODBC database connectivity, and advanced HTML language.
Introductory Entomology and Insect Classification - I have taught and supervised the Principles of Entomology laboratory sections. I also have taught Insect Classification - undergraduate and graduate (ENY 4161/6166) twice. While teaching these classes I have emphasized Florida fauna and flora. My goal was to introduce students to many of the techniques involved in developing a classification system. These included understanding zoological nomenclature, completing literature searches and assembling bibliographies for Florida insect fauna, species definition and the problems therein, identification key construction, ecological studies, and insect identification.Once students gained a familiarity with the techniques necessary to study a group of insects, they were divided into smaller groups to research, compile, and condense literature that would allow them to create dichotomous keys to Florida species. Examples of the projects include a diagnostic keys to the cockroaches of Florida, a key to the Mantids of Florida, and the earwigs (Dermaptera) of Florida.
Departmental Web site and World Wide Web Instruction - I am responsible for more than 400 web documents that comprise our department web site. This includes maintenance of current pages, and the addition of new sites as needed. In addition to this I collaborate with various other researchers in the development of Web materials for education, and have given instructional seminars to members of the Air Force and Army on HTML techniques.
Research Interests
Description and Conservation of habitats in Florida - Since describing a new species of Cicindela (Choate 1984) from central Florida, I have been involved with the Nature Conservancy to document the known range and habitat requirements for Cicindela highlandensis. My research interests that follow are closely tied to the problem of habitat destruction and preservation in Florida, and focus on the use of taxonomy and classification as tools for conservation of Arthropods in this state.
Taxonomy and classification of the ground beetle family Carabidae in Florida, including the tiger beetles. There are numerous genera in need of revision before the affinities between the Florida fauna and southeastern United States may be understood. Among the techniques available for studying these affinities are larval characters, molecular studies, seasonal distributions, and ecological requirements. Together these will form the basis for a cladistic analysis of several species groups, in particular the Cicindela (Cicindelidia)abdominalis species group. I intend to describe the immature stages of Florida tiger beetles. Among the more than 30 Florida species only 2 have larvae that thus far have not been located, Cicindela striga and olivacea. Both of these may be collected as adults, and larvae may be obtained by laboratory rearing.
Development of identification keys to many of the smaller Orders of Florida insects in the form of Field Guides that may be used by the non-specialist. These will include Dermaptera (earwigs),cockroaches, mantids, and walkingsticks. A field guide and identification manual to the eastern species of tiger beetles has been accepted for publication by the University Press of Florida and is now in the review process.
Develop online insect taxonomy and classification materials that will provide teaching aids via the World Wide Web and the Internet for access by students from remote locations.
I plan to continue development of effective learning online course materials for computer use skills.
Hobbies and other interests
Photography - especially macro-photography of insects, outdoor photography.
Most outdoor activities including hiking, fishing, and camping.
Insect collecting - ground beetles, tiger beetles, and Scarab beetles.
Memberships
NACTA - National Association of College Teachers in Agriculture
Coleopterists Society
Nature Conservancy
Selected Publications
Choate, P. M. 2004. Florida Hemiptera (Recognizing suborders; with diagnostic keys to some families of the suborders Auchenorrhyncha and Sternorrhyncha).
Choate, P. M. 2003. A field guide and identification manual for Florida and Eastern U. S. Tiger Beetles. University Press of Florida, Gainesville. 200p. (review and order at: http://www.upf.com/Spring2003/Choate.htm)
Choate, P. M. 2002. Book review. Tiger Beetles: The Evolution, Ecology and Diversity of the Cicindelids Pearson & Vogler. Florida Entomologist 85(4):664. http://www.fcla.edu/FlaEnt/fe85p664.pdf
Choate, P. M. 1990. Checklist of the ground beetles of Florida (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Literature
records. Florida Entomologist 73: 476-492.
Choate, P. M. 1984. A new species of Cicindela Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) from Florida,
and elevation of C. abdominalis scabrosa Schaupp to species. Entomological News 95: 73-82.
Choate, P. M. 1975. Notes on Cicindelidae in South Carolina. Cicindela 7: 71-76.
Choate, P. M., and R. A. Dunn. 1998. Land Planarians. Bipalium kewense Moseley and Dolichoplana striata Moseley (Tricladida: Terricola).
Choate, P. M. and A. L. Choate. 1995. Additions to the known range of Bembidion rufotinctum
Chaudoir (Coleoptera: Carabidae; Bembidiini). Insecta Mundi 9: 371-372.
Choate, P. M., Jr., and T. J. Dyrkacz. 1975. A new state record for Platypatrobus lacustris
Darlington (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Coleopterists Bulletin 29: 82.
Choate, P. M. and P. Miliotis. 1979. Distribution and ecology of a little known species of the genus
Bembidion Latreille (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Cordulia 5: 3-5.
Choate, P. M. and T. Rogers. 1976. The occurrence of a troglophilic ground beetle in Florida
(Coleoptera: Carabidae). Coleopterists Bulletin 30: 364.
Halbert, S. E. and P. M. Choate. 1998. An Asian Wooly Hackberry Aphid, Shivaphis celti Das (Homoptera: Aphididae). Entomology Circular No. 392. Florida Dept. Agric. & Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, Gainesville. 2pp.
Walker, T. J. and P. M. Choate. 1994. Biologists' toolbox. Inputting CD-ROM records - a comparison
of bibliographic software. BioScience 44: 269-271.
