Onega stepanovi placed in phylum Proarticulata, as the segments in recently discovered, exceptionally well-preserved fossils display the glide, or "staggered", symmetry characteristic of the majority of proarticulatans. Imprints of "Onega stepanovi" have been found in the Verkhovka and Zimnie Gory Formations of the Ediacaran (Vendian) rocks of the Arkhangelsk Region, Russia. All the fossil specimens are negative imprints on the bases of fine-grained sandstone beds with the "elephant skin" and tubercle texture diagnostic of microbial mats. The same bedding planes contain various other Ediacaran species: "Cyclomedusa", "Ediacaria", palaeopascichnids, "Eoporpita", "Yorgia", "Andiva", "Archaeaspinus", "Vendia", "Dickinsonia", "Anfesta", "Albumares", "Tribrachidium", "Kimberella", "Parvancorina", "Charniodiscus" and others.
Onega stepanovi by an undivided zone. The surface of the undivided region of "Onega" is covered with small tubercles. "Onega" was originally described by Mikhail Fedonkin as a problematic organism, being grouped together with "Vendia", "Praecambridium" and "Vendomia" as possible stem-group arthropods due to a vague similarity with primitive Cambrian trilobites and arthropods. In 1985 Mikhail Fedonkin erected Phylum Proarticulata, in which he placed: "Onega", "Dickinsonia", "Palaeoplatoda", "Vendia", "Vendomia", "Praecambridium" and "Pseudovendia sp.", although he did not exclude the possibility that "Onega" may still be related to various lower Cambrian arthropods, such as "Skania". Andrey Yu. Ivantsov has proposed that "Onega" be