Creature Wonders

Just a quick blurp. We took the kids to the Scientific Center today.. Something we do from time to time. They have an exceptional aquarium there.. Not particularly extensive but lovely nonetheless.. As we made our way through the dark corridors and soothing displays we came to the real gem of the aquarium - The floor to ceiling tank with the bagillion gallons of water and large marine fish. I've always loved watching the aquatic life skim around so serenly in this particular exhibit.. But what I think I realized today is that I have a new favorite animal - the stingray

I've been to this place before and have always been impressed by their beauty but I finally forced the kids to sit down and look for a good while instead of making a hasty exit. I was mesmerized. They were so tranquil - like underwater butterflies..

They have a few different species in there but the one that caught my eye the most was the "Honeycomb Ray". I've always called it a "Leopard Ray" until now because it's markings are seriously identical to those of those magestic cats we all know as Leopards.. Upon searching for images of them I found out that stingrays aren't the only ones that can be found with these markings.. Eels and a few different kinds of fish have similar patterns..
I just think it's so beguiling that such a beautiful (and previously thought, unique) look can be had by two such diverse creatures..