*Metridium farcimen*, the valid name of a common North Pacific sea anemone (Cnidaria: Actiniaria: Acontiaria)

Abstract

Three older names apply to the species described by Fautin et al. in 1990 as *Metridium giganteum*. They are *Actinia pripaus* Tilesius, 1809, *Actinia farcimen* Brandt, 1835, and *Isometridium rickettsi* Carlgren, 1949. We synonymize these four species names. The msot senior of the synonyms is a junior homonym; therefore, the valid name of this species is *Metridium farcimen* (Brandt, 1835). We also synonymize with *Metridium* the generic names *Dendractis* Andres, 1883, and *Isometridium* Carlgren, 1949.