Parasitology can be defined as the study of parasites and their hosts, as well as the interactions between the two. Parasites are a crucial part of a functional and healthy ecosystem, particularly within the natural environment. The biodiversity of an ecosystem is profoundly impacted by parasite diversity with parasites influencing aspects such as host competition, migration, speciation, and stability. Furthermore, parasites reflect their host species’ environmental interactions, revealing feeding behaviour, geographical ranges, and social systems. Within the NWU Water Research Group, there are three parasitic groups: Freshwater Parasitology, Marine Parasitology and Terrestrial Parasitology.