Identify this tuber like object found on beach 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. ![enter image description here]( ![cross section](

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, <

Here is a whole website dedicated to english sea sponges, <