Hedruris dratini n. sp. (Nematoda, Hedruridae) is described from freshwater turtles in Argentina and information about its life cycle provided. The new species differs from the remaining species of the genus by possessing an excretory pore, and the nerve ring and deirids being positioned at equal distance from the anterior end. Additionally, H. dratini n. sp. has mammilated eggs and males possess nine pairs of caudal papillae. The first life cycle within the genus including an amphipod as intermediate host and a reptile as a definitive host is presented. Furthermore, the host and geographic distribution of species of the genus Hedruris Nitzsch, 1821 are analyzed. Although the genus has a cosmopolitan distribution and parasitizes a great diversity of hosts, the majority of its species follow a Gondwanian distribution and its preferred hosts are amphibians.