Boring sponge (Cliona celata)
Anyone who’s spent any time beachcombing in Massachusetts has likely come across a shell riddled with holes, such as the quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria) shell I found recently pictured here. These holes are evidence of the Boring Sponge, Cliona celata. It’s worth pointing out that, although many people consider sponges a lump on a rock, or in this case a lump on a shell, the name “boring” refers to its ability to make a hole in something, not its lack of…