I've used these lectures in my own parasitology class and am happy to share them with you. They take a topical approach to one of the most fascinating and common niches in biology. They follow the new paradigm of exploring animal parasitology with other parasitic organisms, including plant, fungal, and microbial parasites. These four lectures can stand alone, be used as part of a course on evolutionary theory, or as intended: a time-saving bump for the beginning of a parasitology class. By