A new heterotardigrade genus, Zealandiscus gen. nov., is erected for the species Echiniscus palmai. Dorsal plates' sculpturing with sparsely distributed large hemispherical protuberances and very tiny granules distinguish this genus from all known members of the genus Echiniscus. The new genus is most similar to the genus Kristenseniscus by the shape of claws and some aspects of dorsal cuticle i.e. presence of sparsely distributed quite large hemispherical protuberances. However, in the newly erected genus dorsal plates' sculpture is “double-like” (i.e. it is composed of two types of granulation visible in different focal planes), hemispherical protuberances are larger and not so dense, dorsal plates are not subdivided into smaller subplates, median plate m3 and ventral subcephalic plates are present. Such autapomorphies fully justify erection of the new genus, even if the genetic data are at present unavailable.