As with all rorquals, the ventral surface contains pleats which run longitudinally from the chin to the navel. The humpback's huge flippers, at one-third the body length, are proportionately larger than those of any other cetacean. On the head are numerous knobs called tubercles, each of which contains a single white hair. Humpbacks have a dorsal fin which varies considerably in shape and size, from very low to high and falcate. The underside of the tail has a pattern of black and white markings which is unique to each animal and is used by scientists to identify individuals.
Females are about a meter longer than males.
Maximum weight is 40-45 tons. The humpback is widely distributed in the waters of this continent. Throughout its worldwide range, the species makes a long migration from summer feeding grounds in high latitudes to tropical mating and calving areas in winter. Thus most African humpback populations are seasonal, coming to warm water areas in the region to breed. The latter is an interesting group in that it appears to be the only population of the species in the world which remains in tropical waters year-round.