Maximum length 17-27 m, weight 75-80 t.
A huge whale with flat-topped, v-shaped head. Body dark grey to brownish
black on back and sides; underside white, including underside of flippers.
Series of 56-100 ventral grooves extending from head to at least the naval.
Left front baleen white or yellow white, the rest striped with alternate
bands of white and bluish grey. Dorsal fin more than 60 cm tall, located
closed to the tail flukes. Flippers relatively short and narrow. Flukes having
straight trailing edge with median notch. Females larger than males.