heliotaxis

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English

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Etymology

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From helio- +‎ taxis.

Noun

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heliotaxis (uncountable)

  1. (biology) Phototaxis related to the sun.
    1. Movement of an organism toward sunlight; positive heliotaxis.
    2. Movement of an organism away from sunlight; negative heliotaxis.
      • 1903, William Morton Wheeler, “Some Notes on the Habits of Cerapachs Augustae”, in Psyche, 10(325-326), page 206:
        Pronounced negative heliotaxis, evidently depending on some photodermatic sense, was apparent when the ants were exposed to the sun...