klinokinesis
Quick Summary
Klinokinesis is a type of undirected movement in animals where the rate of locomotion or frequency of turning is influenced by the intensity of a stimulus. Unlike klinotaxis, which involves directional orientation toward a stimulus, klinokinesis is characterized by random movements. For example, a wood louse might move more actively in dry air but cease activity in humid air, congregating in a more favorable environment through these undirected movements. The term "klinokinetic" describes something related to klinokinesis. It's important to distinguish this from "ookinesis," which refers to nuclear phenomena in egg cells.1234
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.