Thysbe

Thysbe is a genus of small, marine, gastropod mollusks in the family Thysanopidae. The genus was first described by the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1816. Thysbe species are characterized by their small size, typically ranging from 1 to 3 millimeters in length, and their distinctive shell shape, which is often described as "saddle-shaped" or "hourglass-shaped". The shell is usually translucent and has a smooth surface, with a single, spiral whorl. The genus is found in the Atlantic Ocean, with species ranging from the Mediterranean Sea to the coast of South Africa. Thysbe species are known to feed on diatoms, a type of phytoplankton, and are an important part of the marine food web. The genus is named after the Greek word "thysbe", which means "swift", a reference to the speed at which these small mollusks can move.