Lip region with three annules.  Spear knobs with two anterior projecting processes.  Eosphageal glands with five distinct nuclei, sixth obscure.  Excretory pore below level of esophago-intestinal valve.  Epiptygma double.  Hemizonion and caudalid not seen.  Spermatheca absent.  Anterior phasmid 35% from anterior end on right side, posterior phasmid at 81% from anterior end on left side.  Intestine overlaps rectum.  Single incisure on body obscure.  Tail round with seventeen annules.
Male: unknown.
Type habitat: soil around roots of soybeans (Glycine hispida).
Type locality:  Coldwell Farm, 2 miles west of Eastover, South Carolina, U.S.A.
Diagnosis:  Hoplolaimus columbus can be identified from the closely related species H. seinhosti by the lower position of the excretory pore and the conspicuous overlap of the intestine over the rectum.  In face view the basal annule of lip region exhibits ten to fifteen longitudinal lines (10 females).  Hemizonid, two to five annules below excretory pore, often obscure.  Hemizonion and caudalid usually not seen.  One specimen has been seen with both the phasmids located in the posterior part of the body.
Hoplolaimus columbus has been seen from the following habitats and locations in South Carolina: soybean (Glycine hispida) soil, Eastover, Florence, and Lexington; cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) soil, Eastover.  Q.L. Holderman supplied numerous specimens and has given this species the common name Columbia nematode.

DNA Sequences Obtained

Specimen:	Collected:
UGA-19	University of Georgia
UGA-21	University of Georgia