there are so many rays of hope

Last night I had a dream where marlena, jon, hogg, smaz and I went to an aquarium. At the end bit, there was a petting section but it was a massive pool and you could get in with sharks and rays.

In the pool, there was a huge leopard print stingray that no one dared to touch. It like swam towards me and gave me a big cuddle. it was amazing.

anyway, I started looking up leopard print rays and the one in my dream is actually known as a Whipray! Here it is:

Its so cute.

There are many kinds of whiprays and they're fully different to other rays, like they have longer tails and no tail fins. Here's a honeycomb whipray!

The leopard whipray's patterns are less jagged than the honeycombs and apparently the colour is different. idk.
But look at all the kinds of rays that are out there!

I mean this spotted eagle ray!! Like look at this majestic thing!


Is this manta ray even real?? look at the humans!! these rays can grow to 7m in width or more!


the xingu river ray! sooo kawaii


raspy river ray family! also, female rays give birth! just like sharks! batoids are incredible

full  story on raspy river rays mating here. the male apparently bites the female throughout mating

my mind is just so blown at how diverse rays are! and we know so little about them. even the famous big ones. I didnt even know rays chilled in freshwaters. Most rays are threatened because of habitat loss but new species are still being discovered (2 species newly discovered in south america in 2013! like damn!)