Size:
Maximum length: 6.5 m for females and 7 m for males; Calves: 2.3 m
Maximum weight: 4 tonnes for females and 8 tonnes for males
Features:
- robust
- conical head with small or indistinct beak and straight mouth line
- large paddle-shaped flippers
- tall dorsal fin - the tallest dorsal fin of any whale, it is straight in adult males reaching 1.8 m, and curved in females (0.9 m) and juvenile males
- 10-13 large conical teeth on each side of both jaws
- colour: glossy black, except for greyish saddle patch; white belly, flank and eye patch located above and behind each eye (the eye patches and belly of newborns are tannish, orange or pink for the first few months)
Notice the taller dorsal fin of the male
and smaller dorsal fin of the females.