What is Taxis?
{{for|the vehicle|taxicab}} A '''taxis''' (plural '''taxes''') is an [[heredity|innate]] [[behavior]]al response by an [[organism]] to a directional [[stimulus]]. This means the organism automatically moves towards or away from the stimulus. A taxis differs from a [[tropism]] (turning response, often [[plant]] growth towards or away from a stimulus) in that the organism has [[wikt:motility|motility]] and shows movement towards or away from the stimulus source.<ref>{{cite book |author=Kendeigh S.C |year=1961 |title=Animal ecology |publisher=Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs N.J |pages=}}</ref><ref>Dusenbery, David B. 2009. ''Living at micro scale'', Ch. 14. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. {{ISBN|978-0-674-03116-6}}</ref> *'''Phototaxis''': movement, usually towards [[light]]. Shown by many organisms, such as many flying insects. *'''Chemotaxis''': movement towards desirable [[chemicals]], and away from unpleasant ones. Even single-celled organisms can show taxis. == References == {{Reflist}} {{biology-stub}} [[Category:Physiology]]