strange ball of ????

[Ron Reefman]

I found this snorkeling in the Florida Keys.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1837/43263908134_50a9e88516_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/28V5QAA)20180811_142928 (https://flic.kr/p/28V5QAA) by Ron Lindensmith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/161573393@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/932/43263907174_633b4246ff_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/28V5Qj3)20180811_143001 (https://flic.kr/p/28V5Qj3) by Ron Lindensmith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/161573393@N04/), on Flickr



It was in shallow water (2') about 100' of a small island on the Florida Bay side of the chain. It is not hard or soft, but firm, much like a small cell sponge. But as far as I can see it has no incurrent or excurrent pores or holes. So I don't think it's a sponge. The spikes are firm but flexible and it doesn't move but it has attached itself to a rock in just 24 hours.

I've looked at a lot of sponge and algae ID photos online and through 3 ID books... nothing close to this was found.

Any ideas, or leads will be appreciated. A firm ID would be terrific, but I'm not expecting one. I have requests into a couple of Phd. Marine Biologists, but so far, no reply.

Thanks.

[Subsea]

Very unique looking. Nice picture.

[smootie]

I found a pic of something that looks similar at the top of the Wet Web Media page on sponges (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/spongeidfaqs.htm) but it's not tagged.

[Michael Hoaster]

It looks like some kind of plant tuber that's been grazed down to nubs. See if it grows like a plant.

[norfolkgarden]

It dosen't look exactly like an immature horse chestnut seed pod. But close.

At you decided 100% if it is terrestrial or normally submerged?


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[Sorcha2]

How large is it?

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[norfolkgarden]

Update?

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[norfolkgarden]

Lol, you have me curious. Any word on the green ball?

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[chuck3]

A tunicate?

[gprdypoo04]

Its Kohlrabi