Estructuras télicas

English translation: functional structures

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:estructuras télicas
English translation:functional structures
Entered by: Charles Davis

04:34 Sep 19, 2016
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Science - Biology (-tech,-chem,micro-) / bats
Spanish term or phrase: Estructuras télicas
Destaca de la lista comprensiva de especies de murciélagos del Chiribiquete, que un 32% de esta diversidad la componen especies raras y muy raras, de acuerdo a su representatividad en colecciones científicas, con tan solo un 30% de especies consideradas comunes bajo el mismo criterio. Se documenta la existencia de una nueva especie de quiróptero, no conocida para la ciencia, en el género Lonchorhina de la familia Phyllostomidae, la cual a la fecha se considera endémica para el PNN Chiribiquete en su porción sur; estos datos señalan el parque como la zona del neotrópico con el mayor número de especies en este género (cuatro de cinco especies conocidas). Adicionalmente, Lonchorhina sp. nov., representa el mamífero con las estructuras télicas (hoja nasal y pinna auditiva) más desarrolladas en proporción a su tamaño corporal
pistacho
Colombia
functional structures
Explanation:
This is not a standard biological term. In fact I can't find a single instance of it in anatomy apart from this, and I can't find any references to "telic structures" in English in this kind of context. "Télico" in Spanish, and "telic" in English, are only found as linguistic terms, applying to types of verbs and meaning verbs expressing purpose.

That must give us a clue to what it means. "Telos" means ultimate aim, end or purpose. So "estructuras télicas" means structures serving or directed to a purpose: in this case, the nose leaf and pinna in bats are directed to the purpose of echolocation. But although there are some references to "purposive" or "purposeful" anatomical structures in older texts, I wouldn't use those words, since they tend imply a teleological (purpose-directed) view of evolution that modern biology rejects. I think "functional structures" would be the most suitable term.

There's a relevant discussion of "purpose" versus "function" here:
https://books.google.es/books?id=7jb6CAAAQBAJ&pg=PA60&lpg=PA...
Selected response from:

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 18:24
Grading comment
thank you
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1functional structures
Charles Davis


  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
functional structures


Explanation:
This is not a standard biological term. In fact I can't find a single instance of it in anatomy apart from this, and I can't find any references to "telic structures" in English in this kind of context. "Télico" in Spanish, and "telic" in English, are only found as linguistic terms, applying to types of verbs and meaning verbs expressing purpose.

That must give us a clue to what it means. "Telos" means ultimate aim, end or purpose. So "estructuras télicas" means structures serving or directed to a purpose: in this case, the nose leaf and pinna in bats are directed to the purpose of echolocation. But although there are some references to "purposive" or "purposeful" anatomical structures in older texts, I wouldn't use those words, since they tend imply a teleological (purpose-directed) view of evolution that modern biology rejects. I think "functional structures" would be the most suitable term.

There's a relevant discussion of "purpose" versus "function" here:
https://books.google.es/books?id=7jb6CAAAQBAJ&pg=PA60&lpg=PA...

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 18:24
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 32
Grading comment
thank you

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  neilmac: Never heard of this before, but your solution works for me...
4 hrs
  -> Thanks, Neil :) Neither had I!

neutral  Michele Fauble: 'Télico' is found as a translation of English 'thelycum'. No research results related to bats found, though. Maybe 'direction-finding structures' for asker's context.
13 hrs
  -> Thanks for the comment, Michele. Thelycum is apparently to do with crustaceans; doesn't sound likely. Direction-finding fits, but télico would be a very strange way of saying that. Telos doesn't really have to do with direction.
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