Locomotion: control by positive-feedback optokinetic responses

Abstract

Several species of arthropods perform forward locomotory movements when restrained in place and exposed to a pattern of stripes moving backward at normal locomotory velocities. Locomotory effort varies directly with stripe velocity. In nature such locomotory reactions would increase the visual stimulus that elicits them; hence, the reactions represent a new class of optokinetic responses employing positive visual feedback. Stabilizing mechanisms include response decrement during constant stripe velocities.