rheo-, rhea-, rhe-, rhy-
(Greek: a flow, wave; current of a stream, current; electrical current)
rheopositive
Sensitive to currents; used of organisms showing behavioral and other responses to air or water currents.
rheoreceptor, rheoreceptive
A sensory receptor that is sensitive to the flow of the surrounding water; sensitive to water or air currents.
rheoscope
rheostat
A variable resistor used to adjust the current in an electrical circuit.
rheostosis
rheotachygraphy
The photographic record of the curve of variations in experiments upon the electromotive action of muscles.
rheotactic
rheotaxis, rheotactic
The orientation of an organism in a stream of liquid or air current, with its long axis parallel with the direction of fluid flow.
Negative rheotaxis refers to the movement of the organism in the same direction as that of the liquid (current); positive rheotaxis refers to the movement of the organism in the opposite direction to that of the liquid or current.
rheotome
A device for interrupting an electric current.
rheotrope
An instrument for reversing an electric current.
rheotrophic
Pertaining to organisms that obtain nutrients largely from percolating or running water.
rheotropic
rheotropism
rheotropism, rheotropic
An orientation response to a water or air current; a movement contrary to the motion of a current, involving part of an organism, rather than the organism as a whole, as in rheotaxis.
rheoxene