Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

20th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
The swarm

Munk’s devil ray (Mobula munkiana) is often found in extremely large aggregations of up to tens of thousands of individuals at certain times of the year. While aggregated, Munk’s devil rays are known to breach regularly, often leaping several metres out of the water. Reasons for this behaviour are still unknown, but possibly linked to social dynamics.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 11.2021
Date Uploaded: 11.2022
Photo Location: Mexico
Camera: ILCE-7RM4
Copyright: © Franco Banfi