Moderately stout; snout moderately short and broadly rounded, length 1-1.1 in distance between nostrils; nasal flaps very small, rudimentary; upper front teeth broadly triangular, straight, serrated; lower front teeth with narrow, high, straight points; ridge on back between dorsal fins usually present; origin of first dorsal fin slightly before inner rear corner of pectoral fins; first dorsal fin very large, with broadly rounded tip, its height 9.2-15.2% of TL; pectoral fins extremely long (length of front edge 20.2- 27.1% of TL), with broad round tips; origin of second dorsal in front of or over anal fin origin.
Brownish grey on back, becoming white ventrally; tips of first dorsal fin, paired fins, and caudal fin lobes broadly mottled white; anal fin usually blackish at tip and second dorsal fin may be dusky at tip; juveniles with most fins tipped with black.
Grows to 396 cm; 60-65 cm at birth.
Habitat: oceanic epipelagic.
Depth: 0-200 m.
Circumtropical; central Baja to the lower Gulf of California to Peru and the oceanic islands.
