It"s a bird, it"s a plane, it"s … a fish! Gliding through the ocean with flapping fins and polka-dot flair, the spotted eagle ray refuses to blend in. It doesn"t crawl along the seabed like its stingray cousins—it flies underwater. The species gets its name from—you guessed it—its protruding snout, which resembles an eagle"s beak, and its distinctive spotted back, which is unique to each individual, much like fingerprints. Their wing-like pectoral fins can span up to 10 feet. Near the base of the long tail are venomous spines, in case a predator gets too close. These rays aren"t aggressive, but they"re not defenseless either.
Spotted eagle rays in the Galápagos Islands
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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World Elephant Day
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Everglades National Park, Florida
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National Go Birding Day
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Preservation Hall in New Orleans, Louisiana
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How green is my valley
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Black lava beach, El Golfo, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
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Night view of the RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California
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Of balloons and lost pantaloons
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The Cutty Sark turns 150
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National Park Service Founders Day
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International Day for Monuments and Sites
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A special day for a special cat
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International Rock Day
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International Tea Day
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Water colors
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Celebrating Madagascar on its Independence Day
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Lupine fields, Snæfellsnes, Iceland
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San Francisco’s City Hall illuminated by the iconic colors of Pride
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Join us in celebrating World Water Day
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Christmas star lanterns, Germany
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Praia das Catedrais, Galicia, Spain
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Happy World Photography Day!
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A hit ballet, long after its debut
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Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence
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Happy Easter!
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Hoodoos, Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
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Cordouan Lighthouse, France
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Spring comes to the Diablo foothills
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Christmas lights in Domaso, Lake Como, Italy
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Gwalior Fort, Madhya Pradesh, India
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

