Zusammenfassung: A laboratory study of female G. aculeatus revealed no conclusive evicence of active female mate choice on the basis of male aggression levels. However, highly aggressive males failed in 95% of all choice tests. The less aggressive ´chosen´ males where generally successful again in subsequent trials with the same female, and certain males were consistently successful with different females. Females exhibited an increased readiness to spawn at the end of the reproductive season, although the same males were usually selected again.