An authoritative classification and catalogue of marine names

Rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), author: Thomas Jefferson
  
Histiophryne psychedelica, author: David Hall / seaphotos.com
  
Limopsis aurita  (Brocchi, 1814)Specimens from Djibouti Banks, Alboran Sea (actual size 10 mm including hairs), author: Gofas, Serge
  
Alcyonium digitatum Linnaeus, 1758, author: Daniel Vaulot
  
Lithophyllum frondosum f. cabiochae (Boudouresque & Verlaque), author: A. Meinesz
  
WoRMS is continuously updating and strives to reflect current published scientific knowledge, without making new taxonomic decisions. The Data Management Team welcomes any feedback and suggestions for improvement. See more details and citation guidelines.

News

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Tackling Temporary Names in WoRMS: Interim Solutions for the Taxonomic Impediment

Added on: 2025-08-07 08:01:57 by Vandepitte, Leen
This recently published paper in Marine Biodiversity formulates practical recommendations and clarification on temporary names and how they should be entered in a standardised way, not only into WoRMS but also into taxonomic databases in general. ...

Rotifer World Catalog now available through the Aphia platform

Added on: 2025-08-04 16:04:28 by Goharimanesh, Mona
Almost 20 years after the idea to „set up an individual page for every rotifer species” (2006), the Rotifer World Catalog finds a new home in Aphia, the data infrastructure behind the World Register of Marine Species. A dedicated portal was set up for these conspicuous micro-organisms, and their marine representatives are displayed through WoRMS as well. ...

Introducing the World List of Myxozoa

Added on: 2025-07-31 16:07:28 by Dekeyzer, Stefanie
Today is the launch day for the World List of Myxozoa, a Global Species Database under the umbrella of the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). ...

NELOS divers use WoRMS in digital dive log: a step toward citizen science

Added on: 2025-07-23 11:22:55 by Dekeyzer, Stefanie
The Flemish diving federation NELOS vzw (Dutch-speaking League for Underwater Research and Sports) has recently integrated the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) into its internal platform DIVES — a Digital Verification System used to log tens of thousands of dives each year. ...

Awardees for the 2025 WoRMS Achievement & Early Career Researcher Award known

Added on: 2025-06-17 11:59:57 by Goharimanesh, Mona
This year, Sammy De Grave has been honored with the WoRMS Achievement Award, and the WoRMS Early Career Researcher Award goes to Sávio Gabriel Gomes Pereira. ...

Introducing the World List of Octocorallia, a companion to the World Lists of Actiniaria and Scleractinia

Added on: 2025-06-02 10:35:28 by Vandepitte, Leen
Today is the launch day for the World List of Octocorallia, a Global Species Database under the umbrella of the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). ...

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Currently in WoRMS

Accepted marine species

248 134 (98% checked)


Marine species names, including synonyms

517 350


Species with image

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