Salarians: Culture

Mass Effect & Mass Effect 2
The rare salarian females are cloistered on their worlds out of tradition and respect. Powerful female Dalatrasses are dynasts and political kingpins. They determine the political course of their respective regions through shrewd negotiation. Though male salarians rise to positions of great authority in business, academia, or the military, they rarely have any input on politics.

Due to their method of reproduction, salarians have no concept of romantic love, sexual attraction, or the biological impulses and social rituals that complicate human lives. Male-female relationships are rare (due to the scarcity of females) and more akin to human friendship.

Sexuality is strictly for the purpose of reproduction. Ancient social codes determine who gets to fertilize eggs, which produces more daughters to continue a bloodline. Fertilization generally only occurs after months of negotiation between the parents' clans, and is done for purpose of political and dynastic alliance. No salarian would imagine defying this code.

Salarian names are quite complex. A full name includes - in order - the name of a salarian's planet, duchy, barony, fiefdom, family, and finally, the given name.