galvanotaxis

American  

[gal-vuh-noh-tak-sis, gal-van-oh-] / ˌgæl və noʊˈtæk sɪs, gælˌvæn oʊ- /

noun

1. movement of an organism or any of its parts in a particular direction in response to an electric current; electrotaxis.

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Other Word Forms

• galvanotactic adjective

Etymology

Origin of galvanotaxis

From New Latin, dating back to 1895–1900; see origin at galvano-, -taxis

Example Sentences

“Fish that encounter electricity go through a process called galvanotaxis that immobilizes the muscles, physically stopping the fish from moving through the barrier. The process can be lethal,” says Mark Cornish, a supervisory Corps biologist.

From Scientific American • Sep. 20, 2017