Pygmy killer whales reach maximum proportions of 2.6 m and 225 kg, males being larger than females. Newborns are about 80 cm long. The body of the pygmy killer whale is slender; the head is rounded and has no beak. The colour of the body is dark grey to black, with a prominent narrow cape that dips slightly below the dorsal fin, and a white to light gray ventral band that widens around the genitals. Also, the lips and snout tip are sometimes white. The upper jaw contains 8-11 pairs of teeth, and the lower jaw has 11-13 pairs.