A new species of Argiope Audouin, 1826 is described. This is a large Argiope from South America and is found mainly in "cerrado" vegetation in central Brazil. Argiope legionis sp. nov. is most similar to A. ericae LEVI, 2004 but differs from this species by the coloration and epigynum in the female and the median apophysis and embolus of the palpus in the male palp.

Eight cicada species were collected in an urban area of Brasília (Brazil). Their nymphal casts were characterized and a dichotomous key was prepared to identify cicada species.

This paper deals with the occurrence and schol sizes of the Brazilian-sardine, Sardinella brasiliensis (Steindachner, 1879), in coastal waters of" Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil), during the years 1993-1997. The schools are more frequent and heavier in bay and surroundings of Grande Island; another area, with lesser importance, remains between the Cape of São Tome and surroundings of Cabo Frio, under influence of coastal upwelling. The heavier schools are found in April-June (autumn), soon after lhe reproduction period. The schools swim in surface waters with until 80 meters in depth. but more than 98% of them are restricted to waters until 50 meters; about 41% of schools are found in places of 10 - 20 meters, with clear reduction of their frequencies in higher depths; schools with more than 10 tons tend to swim in surface waters with 31-60 meters in depth. The schools reach the maximum size of 95 tons, but around 88% of them do not exceed the 15 tons; the smaller ones, with until 5 tons, correspond to almost 42% of those caught, with frequency reductions as increase their sizes.