[3] The body of the pygmy beaked whale is the rather typical spindle shape of the genus, although the tail is unusually thick.

The mouthline in males has a very distinct arch with two teeth protruding slightly from the gum line before the apex.

The coloration is typically dark gray on the top and lighter below, especially on the lower jaw, throat, and behind the umbilicus.

This beaked whale has been recorded in the eastern tropical Pacific between Baja California and Peru through sightings and strandings.

Further strandings have been recorded in Chile (29°15′S 71°26′W / 29.250°S 71.433°W / -29.250; -71.433) and Monterey Bay (a 3.6 m (11.8 ft) female found at Salinas State Beach), and a fresh specimen in Humboldt County, CA in 1995, 2001, and 2012, respectively,[4] extending the species' range far to the north and south.