Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area, California

Compiled & photographed by Gary McDonald, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California, Santa Cruz

Epiactis prolifera Verrill, 1869               
Brooding Anemone
Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Actiniaria: Actiniidae
Geographic Range: Southern Alaska to southern California. Synonyms:
Back to: Anthozoa Back to: Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area
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Pigeon Pt., San Mateo Co., CA; 26 Oct 2007; ~15mm diameter.

Description: Highly variable in color: reddish, greenish, brown, orange, blue, or gray. Often with narrow radiating white lines on oral disk. Often with radiating light and dark lines on edges of the pedal disk and lower column. The 48-96 short, conical tentacles each have a terminal pore.
Size: Typically about 2cm in diameter, but may reach 5cm in diameter.
Notes: May be found on or under rocks, or on algae; moves over substrate more readily than most other anemones.. Often found brooding small juvenile anemones which are attached to the column near base.

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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 19 Jan 2008.
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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 19 Feb 2008.
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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 19 Jan 2008.
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Carmel Pt., Monterey Co., CA; 19 Feb 2008.
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Carmel Pt. (south), Monterey Co., CA; 10 Apr 2008; 26mm diameter.
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Carmel Pt. (south), Monterey Co., CA; 10 Apr 2008; 26mm diameter.

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