Crepidostomum - a genus of trematodes commonly found in the intestine or gall bladder of many European freshwater fish 🪱🐟. Currently 25 Crepidostomum species are known, however recent investigations question the validity of some of these species. Image: @peerlab.bsky.social

Meet Acanthocephalus lucii, a "thorny-headed worm" parasite of European freshwater fish. Its spiny proboscis hooks into the host's intestine, and without a digestive tract it absorbs nutrients straight through its skin! 🪱🐟 Images: Mathias Colin, IMPACT PhD student

@rachelpatersonnz.bsky.social and @cyrilhammoud.bsky.social were front and centre at the IUCN Red List Training workshop at UHasselt this week to hone our skills and share IMPACT's progress in assessing European freshwater fish parasites 🪱🐟 @biodiversa.eu #ConservationBiology #ParasiteConservation

eDNA methods are opening new possibilities for biodiversity monitoring. But what is still needed for routine use? The recording of our webinar with Tiina Laamanen and Kristian Meissner from SYKE is now available: www.biodiversa.eu/2026/06/14/u...

Webinar: eDNA methods in environmental monitoring

In this webinar, we explore where eDNA methods stand on the road to routine implementation, and what is still needed to support their wider uptake...

biodiversa.eu

A master manipulator, Schistocephalus solidus uses three hosts - copepods, fish, and birds - to complete its life cycle. By altering the behaviour of infected copepods and fish, it makes them easier prey, boosting its chances of reaching the next host. 🪱🐟🐦 Images: Roman Kuchta

Conservation actions for parasites!? Find out how the decline of the European medicinal leech is being reversed ⬇️

IUCN SSC Parasite Specialist Group@iucnparasites.bsky.social · 4mo ago

To finish #InverteFest on a high note, with the help of Buglife Scotland we'd like to discuss an ongoing and promising #conservation program aimed at a parasite that carries a long history with humanity: the European Medicinal Leech (Hirudo medicinalis)!

Diplozoon paradoxum Members of the genus Diplozoon are a striking group of monogenean parasites, typically found on the gills of freshwater and marine fish. They begin as separate, free-living juveniles, who later physically interlock with a partner to form a lifelong union ❤️

Natural history museums are important biodiversity repositories for future generations. IMPACT will contribute specimens to European museum collections.

How is biodiversity monitored across Europe? Go behind the scenes with @bfn-de.bsky.social to see how Belgium, Spain, Bulgaria, Finland, Norway, and Austria track nature, ending with a special EBOCC session! 🗓️ Apr 1-Jun 24, every 2nd Wednesday, 11:00 (UTC+1) Info: www.biodiversa.eu/2026/03/24/n...

The fish louse Argulus coregoni, possibly one of the cutest freshwater parasites there is! This parasitic crustacean lives on freshwater fish where they feed on skin and mucus. Most commonly seen by trout anglers in late summer and autumn. Image: Arnstein Staverløkk Instagram @naturogbilde

Parasites of freshwater fish come in all shapes and sizes. IMPACT invites you to get to know some of the fascinating parasite species we know and love 🥰

🌊💧 Spotlight on marine and freshwater monitoring at #BioMonWeek26! Are you working on eDNA, invasive alien species, habitats, or any of the many topics covered in our contributed sessions? Submit an abstract and bring your work to the European stage! Explore the full programme: www.biomonweek.eu

Who will join us? #BioMonWeek - the new conference on European Biodiversity monitoring. The IMPACT team looks forward to meeting you in Montpellier! Submit your abstracts now as spots are filling quickly! 2026.biomonweek.eu/page/home/

Check out IMPACT's latest newsletter where we explore the role of parasites in environmental governance and society 👉 tinyurl.com/26ekb9rr

What is needed to improve our understanding of long-term trends in parasite infection and diversity? Integrating large-scale parasite monitoring programs with existing ecological monitoring projects, plus developing new scalable biomonitoring tools. Read more 👉 doi.org/10.1002/brv.... @biodiversa.eu

Long‐term trends in parasite diversity and infection levels: approaches and patterns

Parasites exist in every ecosystem, affecting nearly all organisms and playing a complex role in human societies. On the one hand, they contribute substantially to biodiversity and support ecosystem ....

doi.org

Juan A. Balbuena@jabalbuena.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Our latest paper in Biol Rev. Parasites are vital parts of ecosystems. Because we lack long-term data, we still don't know how human-driven environmental change is affecting their diversity. Better, sustained monitoring is needed. doi.org/10.1002/brv.... @impact-parasites.bsky.social 🧪

Laboratorio de Parasitología, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Bariloche 🇦🇷 hosted @rachelpatersonnz.bsky.social @ninanatureresearch.bsky.social to share insights into how @biodiversa.eu #IMPACT monitors freshwater fish parasite biodiversity.

#IMPACT researcher Cyril Hammoud reveals long-term changes in wildlife parasites at the Belgian Society of Parasitology & Protistology Annual meeting. @biodiversa.eu

Huge thanks to Dr. Jerusha Bennett at the University of Otago @zoologyotago.bsky.social for the opportunity for us to create the animation of this incredible trematode parasite Copiatestes!! ❤️ Check out the video and learn more about the mysterious anklets on sea bird legs! youtu.be/EAt9cONTD88

Threads of Trouble: The Story of Copiatestes and Our Manu by Dr. Jerusha Bennett

YouTube video by Global Parasitologist Coalition

youtu.be

"Conserving the forgotten" - @jabalbuena.bsky.social shares why IMPACT is relevant to the Neotropics. #XIIICOPANEO

Crouching Parrot, Hidden Louse: The Kyloring (Pezoporus flaviventris) is a critically endangered species of Australian parrot, and it is host to Forficuloecus pezopori - a species of louse which lives only on the Kyloring and nowhere else. #Invertebrate 🧪 dailyparasite.blogspot.com/2024/06/forf...

<i>Forficuloecus pezopori</i>

Parasites are a major part of biodiversity, but they spend most of their time hidden in plain sight. Even with some animals that have been k...

dailyparasite.blogspot.com

Everything you always wanted to know about parasites and stable isotopes in one book chapter: link.springer.com/chapter/10.1... From the new #openaccess book on Aquatic Parasitology, edited by @nicojsmit.bsky.social & ‪@berndsures.bsky.social link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

Our latest newsletter profiles IMPACT's student members. Find out how they contribute to our understanding of parasite biodiversity here 👉 www.nina.no/english/IMPACT

Congratulations to #IMPACT students Vilde Normann and Steinar Grüner on their successful MSc defenses!

IMPACT gathered last week for our mid-term meeting. As our family grows, so too does the recognition of parasites in biodiversity. Watch this space for exciting developments!

Integrating parasites into aquatic biodiversity monitoring? Cyril Hammoud (NIOZ) explains how #IMPACT will achieve this at the @biodiversa.eu Biodiversity Monitoring Science Fair, Barcelona

Want to know more about aquatic parasitology? For free? Check out the link below for online open access ⬇️

Bernd Sures@berndsures.bsky.social · last yr.

Great News: Our book Aquatic Parasitology: Ecological and Environmental Concepts and Implications of Marine and Freshwater Parasites has been published online open access! link.springer.com/book/10.1007... @nicojsmit.bsky.social @unidue.bsky.social

Permanent research position opened at the @MuseumGeneve for a specialist in non-arthropod invertebrates: taxonomy, systematics and evolution (preferably on terrestrial or freshwater molluscs, annelids, or nematodes). Join our team! 🐌🪱 www.geneve.ch/administrati... Questions to I. Blasco-Costa

Chargé ou chargée de recherche en invertebres non-arthropodes à 100%

geneve.ch

'Parasites should get more fame' - couldn't agree more! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

‘Parasites should get more fame’: the nominees for world’s finest invertebrate – podcast

Invertebrates don’t get the attention lavished on cute pets or apex predators, but these unsung heroes are some of the most impressive and resilient creatures on the planet. So when the Guardian opene...

theguardian.com

Vote for the invertebrate of the year 2025! The tongue-biting louse is shortlisted. Help make it number one! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Invertebrate of the year 2025: vote for your favourite

Since February we’ve gone in search of the invertebrate of the year. Now it’s your chance to choose

theguardian.com

Bioinformatician wanted at NHM Geneva 80% position for 12 months. Experience in next-gen seq data analysis, genome / mitogenome assembly, phylogenomics and population genomics. If interested, check here blascocosta.ch/opportunities/ original in FR: institutions.ville-geneve.ch/fr/mhn/insti...

a glow in the dark dna structure with the letters g and t

ALT: a glow in the dark dna structure with the letters g and t

media.tenor.com