can you identify this unique beach find?

[kittyhazelton]

Found this thing on the beach. Best I can guess is that its a skull of some sort, but from what I'm not sure. It seems to be made of cartilage instead of bone. There was a vertebrae attached to the back of it that fell off on the way home. definitely very lightweight. Ideas? Expert opinions?
Picture order: Top, side view, another angle of top, and underside.

 

[armac]

vertebrae

 

[ceeej31]

looks like a catfish to me, not sure what kind

 

[uncwnells]

a profile would be super helpful...

 

[RDTigger]

Looks like the remains of a carapace from a turtle, maybe soft-shell....

 

[kittyhazelton]

it measures 8" long, and was found on the coast of Massachusetts.

 

[kittyhazelton]

looks like a catfish to me, not sure what kind

That was my 1st thought, but the little horns on the nose threw me off.

 

[Noto]

It looks like the eyes are pretty far forward and the snout is broad. Monkfish maybe?

 

[MrGuyPerson]

It's a fish skull of some sort, 100% sure. No clue what species. The monkfish suggestion seems reasonable based on the few teeth present, but I really have no idea.

You actually have it upside-down. Your top is actually the bottom. The long median bone on the 'top' is the parasphenoid, a bone on the underside of the top jaw. This bone articulates with the vomer, a bone often bearing teeth of the upper jaw, as seems to be the case in this specimen. i.e. The 'horns' are teeth of the upper jaw.

Hope that helps.

 

[MrGuyPerson]

P.S. It's bone. Fish have very light, low-density skeletons.