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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It s truffle season here in the Dordogne Valley
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A valley view at 9,000 feet
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Veterans Day
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International Tea Day
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World Honey Bee Day
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International Tiger Day
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Giant kelp in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
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Cheers! It’s National Wine Day
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Composite of photographs from the Apollo 15 mission
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The Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Italy
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The Elbe in Dresden, Germany
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Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany
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A century since Tut s tomb was discovered
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Sequential images of a total solar eclipse
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Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
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Sea fireflies at the seashore
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Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
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International Day of the World s Indigenous Peoples
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Feel the spray in Monterey
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Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park
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A big place to shop small
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Honoring the rangers on World Ranger Day
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International Lighthouse Weekend
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A night of art and culture
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It s Bermuda s big day
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Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, China
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Mount Rainier National Park
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Mona Vale Rockpool, Sydney, Australia
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Gazing upon Portraits of Change
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Memorial Day
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

