Biology/Natural History: Broods young internally.

This anemone has no acontia, no tubercles or major adherent material on the column. Neither oral disk nor pedal disk have radiating lines. There may be darker pigmented lines between the tentacles (as seen above), associated with the internal mesenteries. Broods young internally. Mid- to high intertidal, mostly in caves and surge channels shaded by logs. May be drab green, brick red, dark orange, or deep mustard; sometimes with lighter or darker spots. Note: Epiactis fernaldi has only been observed in the San Juan Archipelago. The only individuals in the sole known remaining population (photo) are 2 cm or less in diameter.

East North Pacific

Geographical Range: San Juan Islands

Paratype for Epiactis fernaldi Dunn & Chia, 1986
Catalog Number: USNM 61273
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Invertebrate Zoology
Preparation: Alcohol (Ethanol); Slide
Collector(s): D. Dunn & L. Francis
Year Collected: 1979
Locality: San Juan Islands, San Juan Island, Cattle Point, Surge Channel, Washington, United States, North Pacific Ocean

How to Distinguish from Similar Species: Other local Epiactis species usually have radiating white lines on the oral disk and dark vertical lines on the column. Small Epiactis prolifera may look similar especially when closed (photo), but that species often has small young along its external column which are not seen in this species which broods internally.

Depth range based on 8 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 1 sample.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 0
  Temperature range (°C): 10.151 - 10.151
  Nitrate (umol/L): 6.725 - 6.725
  Salinity (PPS): 31.893 - 31.893
  Oxygen (ml/l): 6.561 - 6.561
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.943 - 0.943
  Silicate (umol/l): 15.658 - 15.658
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Depth Range: Intertidal

Habitat: Caves and shaded surge channels