‖ thigmotaxis Biol.
(θɪgməʊˈtæksɪs)
[mod.L. f. Gr. θίγµα touch + τάξις arrangement, disposition.]
The way in which an organism moves or disposes itself in response to a touch stimulus, i.e. by being attracted (positive thigmotaxis) or repelled (negative thigmotaxis).
| 1900 B. D. Jackson Gloss. Bot. Terms 270/2 Thigmotaxis..is a synonym [of Thigmotropism]. 1905 Nature 31 Aug. 426/2 The ‘Thigmotaxis’ exhibited by an oxytrocha moving round a spherical egg, unable to leave its surface. 1909 J. W. Jenkinson Experim. Embryol. 272 Thus we have positive and negative heliotropism, galvanotaxis, geotropism, galvanotropism, thigmotaxis, and so on. |
So thigmoˈtactic a. [Gr. τακτικ-ός pertaining to arrangement], of, pertaining to, or exhibiting thigmotaxis; hence thigmoˈtactically adv.
| 1900 in Amer. Jrnl. Psychol. XII. 141 One is the thigmotactic reaction. Starting with the moving infusorian, we find that it reacts to contact with solid bodies of a certain physical texture by suspending part of the usual ciliary motion. 1901 Ibid. 229 A definite rat-hole consciousness that acts, as it were, thigmotactically. 1903 Science 8 May 738 The ventral surface of planarians is strongly positively thigmotactic, whereas the dorsal surface is negatively thigmotactic. |