Fin whales are the fastest of all cetaceans, reaching speeds of 37 kilometres per hour and known to completely clear the water. This whale is grey in colour on the upper surface and white on the underside. The patterns on the jaw are asymmetrical, being white on the right side and dark on the left, and a large number of grooves extend along the throat to the navel. The prominent dorsal fin is 60 centimetres in length and curves strongly. Males and females tend to be very similar in their general appearance, but females are slightly longer than males. The baleen plates are bluish to grey in colour and have white fringes.