Nosema ceranae is newer and has probably been around since around 1980. Which species is this?

• A. Nosema apis
• B. Nosema ceranae
• C. Nosema bombycis
• D. Nosema microsporidia

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is recognizing which Nosema species is the newer one that has been emerging in honey bees. Nosema ceranae is the species described as the newer one, originally found in Asian honey bees (Apis cerana) and later spreading to Apis mellifera. It has been identified as the newer, distinct Nosema lineage that became prominent around the late 20th century, which is why it’s associated with that timeframe. In contrast, Nosema apis is the classic, historically known species that affected European honey bees and was recognized long before ceranae. Nosema bombycis infects silkworms, not honey bees, so it’s not the correct one in this context. “Nosema microsporidia” isn’t a valid species name. So the species described as the newer one is Nosema ceranae.