Finger Sponge (Chalina oculata)
Brown or tan color In colonies of fingerlike projections
The most common sponge on Crane’s Beach is the Finger Sponge. Even a small piece may be identified by the holes on its surface, through which the animal filtered water. The strange appearance of this sponge has given it the repulsive name of “Dead Men’s Fingers.”
Crumb-of-Bread Sponge (Halichondria panicea)
Pale green in life Light tan or white when dried on beach Crumbles easily
Only the most searching eye will discover this sponge, because it so closely resembles a dull uninteresting rock or pile of bread crumbs. When it has been freshly broken, it has a vile odor—a good clue to identification.
The Jelly-like Animals
