Haliclona compressa
The Red Finger Sponge can grow to 16 inches. Its color may vary from bright red or orange to black or brown.
Sea sponges are a simple colony of single-cell organisms that work together to perform a variety of bodily funcctions. Sponges have attributes of both plants and animals and for centuries there has been a debate as to which it is. Like plants they do not have a body cavity, brains, digestive or nervous systems.
Somewhat like plants, sponges are "sessile", meaning that they anchor themselves to the sea floor where the colony spends its entire life and never moves. However they are not plants, but animals. Plants use photosynthesis to produce chemical energy. Sponges use cellular respiration typical of animals. Plants have cell walls and other cellular distinguishing characteristics. Sponges and other animal cells have a unique cell structure to include a cell membrane. Unlike plants, sponges have a skeleton made up of silica (glass) spicules.
Live shells should never be taken from any Florida State Park.