Tarantulas as Teaching Tools

Two of the most frightening things known to humans—advanced math and tarantulas—are some of Dr. D.J. Galiffa’s favorite things. The associate professor of mathematics owns thirteen tarantulas and says the highly venomous spiders make great pets.

“They are one of the cleanest and most fascinating animals,” Galiffa said, as his Honduran curlyhair “Curly”, a thirteen-year-old tarantula about the size of his palm, slowly walked over and around his hand. “Each spider has a unique personality.”

Rosalinda, a Chilean rose, was his first tarantula. Galiffa acquired her eight years ago and liked her so much that he has since gathered twelve more tarantulas, for a total of thirteen spiders of twelve different species, including cobalt blue, greenbottle blue, Venezuelan sun tiger, Costa Rican zebra, Chilean copper, Mexican red knee, Arizona blonde, Brazilian salmon pink, Columbian giant red leg, and Mexican red rump.

We talked with Galiffa to learn more about tarantulas and how they can sometimes serve as teaching aids.

WHAT IS APPEALING TO YOU ABOUT TARANTULAS?

They make great pets. They are clean, quiet, easy to care for, and they all have their own personalities. It is an exciting challenge to try and understand a species that is so far removed from humans. They communicate with their actions and behaviors.

WHAT DO THEY EAT?

Worms, crickets, roaches. Basically, they eat anything alive that is smaller than they are. They only eat a few times a month.

WHAT DO YOU TEACH WITH YOUR TARANTULAS?

There are many things we can teach with spiders—web strength and construction, genetics, population dynamics, gait analysis, and blood flow, which is quite fascinating in tarantulas since their blood flows through their entire body. They don’t have veins like humans do.

HOW CAN YOU USE THEM TO TEACH MATH MODELING?

We can model them as predators and as prey. We can also study the genetic probability of obtaining certain variations of a given species using probabilistic models. For example, there are three forms of Chilean rose tarantulas—the gray, red, and pink color forms. My spider, Rosalinda, is gray form and Charlotte is a red form. The students in my workshops do a basic version of this very type of modeling and then get to see the differences in the color forms in my actual tarantulas.

Learn more about Dr. Galiffa’s tarantulas at behrendblog.com.

ALLEGRA CANGELOSI DR. SHERRI “SAM” MASON

Two Behrend researchers were chosen to receive 2021 Great Lakes Leadership Awards for work that raises awareness of critical issues in the Great Lakes ecosystem. Each will receive $10,000 in funding to advance their research.

Allegra Cangelosi, a senior researcher, was selected for advancing ballast-water treatment on transoceanic ships, an environmental protection measure that has reduced the transfer of invasive species into the Great Lakes.

Dr. Sherri “Sam” Mason, Behrend’s director of sustainability, was selected for her study of microplastics pollution in the Great Lakes, which has contributed to a decision by the Food and Drug Administration to ban plastic microbeads in face creams and shampoos.

This year’s Robert Noyce Teaching Scholarships have been awarded to Secondary Math Education majors Jacob Deitz and Dani Kosslow. Each will be eligible for up to $45,000 in financial aid.

Noyce scholarships are available to students pursuing dual majors in Mathematics and Secondary Education in Mathematics; students are eligible for up to two years of funding in exchange for a commitment to teach in a highneeds school district.

JACOB DEITZ DANI KOSSLOW