Aetobatus narinari / possibly A. ocellatus
Identification.
Dark or black topside with bright white spots and a long whip tail. The spot pattern is unique enough per individual to be used for photo identification.
Galápagos context.
Documented off Puerto Ayora, with mangrove nurseries around Isabela and San Cristobal. The exact species name for the eastern Pacific/Galapagos population is genuinely unsettled - newer data suggests these may be the ocellated eagle ray rather than the Pacific eagle ray long assumed.
Encounter context.
Seen around most islands, feeding on hard-shelled benthic invertebrates.
Seasonality.
Present year-round.