Bernardius lineatus gen. n., sp. n. is described from a sandy beach at Tamandaré Bay, Brazil. It possesses the main
characteristics of the family Enchelidiidae (Nematoda: Enoplida), but is unique by the presence of a body cuticle ornamented with longitudinal ridges formed by small rods, an entirely different character to all other members of the order Enoplida. The new genus is also characterised by a long, subdivided, buccal cavity with two subventral teeth and numerous denticles and the arrangement of the
anterior sensilla in two crowns, the anterior crown being papilliform and the posterior crown consisting of six external labial and four cephalic sensilla, setiform. The relationships of the genera within the Enchelidiidae are discussed and an emended family diagnosis provided.