Pacific Spotted Eagle Ray

Photo: michel candel · CC BY-NC-SA

Eagle rays glide in small squadrons across the sandy channels and coral patches of Tortuga Negra Bay, their white-spotted dark dorsums unmistakable against the pale sand. This Pacific species is closely related to but distinct from the Atlantic eagle ray, and the Galapagos supports a healthy resident population. They are frequently encountered alongside the mating turtle aggregations, lending an already extraordinary dive an additional layer of spectacle.