Cotylean polyclads [Cotylea]

Description

Cotylea is a suborder of marine flatworms belonging to the order Polycladida, characterized by the presence of a cotyl, an adhesive organ, which they use to attach to substrates. Members of this group are often less colorful than their Acotylean relatives but share the predatory lifestyle, feeding on small invertebrates. Cotyleans are found in a variety of marine environments, from shallow waters to deeper seas. They play a role in the marine ecosystem as predators of small invertebrates and, due to their sensitivity to environmental changes, as indicators of ecosystem health.