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Can anyone identify this tuber-like object I found on a beach in South Wales, UK? It's about 25 cm long and looks like a deflated football. Pretty spongy, saturated with water. I was hoping it was ambergris, but that seems unlikely.

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  • $\begingroup$ Mabye it is a carcass or sea sponge or a rooton object. i am only nine!!! $\endgroup$
    – Ethan Xiao
    Oct 30, 2017 at 7:37
  • $\begingroup$ Hi @EthanXiao. Welcome to Bio. We are a scientific stack and request answers to be backed up by scientific sources. Our target are people with a level of education matching that of a bachelor's or master's, and folks above that. Say 18+ years. Perhaps wait a few years before answering any other questions :) $\endgroup$
    – AliceD ♦
    Oct 30, 2017 at 8:55

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It is spongy because it is a sponge, specifically a sea sponge. There are quite a large number of them native to the waters around england. I would guess Craniella cranium based on shape and location but I am by no means an expert on sponges. Here a cross section of a cleaned sponge enter image description here

and sediment laden potato sponges after a hurricane.

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you can see more images of collecting these here, http://www.vims.edu/newsandevents/topstories/archives/2011/irene_blobs.php

Here is a whole website dedicated to english sea sponges, http://www.aphotomarine.com/sponge_suberites_ficus_sea_orange_sulphur.html

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