This week I have yet another mystery object that I’ve not managed to identify myself. Do you have any idea what this is and what animal it came from?
As usual you can put your comments below and will be eagerly checking them out in the hope that someone recognises this bony structure. Enjoy!
Zygoma 
Okay initially I recognised (rather than identified it) it looking much like some prepped but uncarved Hornbill ivory. However, the long pointy bit doesn’t look like a beak and the thing at ‘the back’ does look like a beak.
Weird.
Weird indeed. I have suspicions about what it might be, but I’m struggling to find any reference material or images. It is definitely bony, but doesn’t appear to be any of the standard bits of a vertebrate. We may be looking at a custom job.
Is it the result of disease or deformity?
I don’t think so, but I suppose it could be. I was thinking it might be a organ that isn’t usually ossified, so not one of the bones you’d find in most vertebrates.
Hmm, it does look bladderish, in the general sense
That’s what I thought.
Sticking with the ‘bladderish’ identification, I’m going to suggest it’s the gall bladder of a dog.
They don’t tend to ossify like this!
I turned it up the other way, does it say Australia? Does it sound hollow if you tap it?
I can’t quite make out what it says on the object as the writing has been rubbed off in places over the years – this image has the best reproduction of the writing, in that it’s as good as you can make out on the object itself. I don’t think it says Australia – but who knows, maybe it does! It is hollow.
I think that this is one of the most unusual ‘mystery objects’ that you’ve posted! I hope someone works it out.
Is it part of a squid or other aquatic invertabrate? It appears ‘bladderish’ but perhaps some type of ossified buoyancy organ. You mention that it really doesn’t look like a beak, but my initial impulse screams beak! That’s my best guess thanks for the puzzler.
The mystery object #184 is the hyperostotic spine of a fish. In our area (Gulf of Mexico) they have been attributed to the dorsal spine of a large black drum (Pogonias cromis), although several other species can have such spines.
The little pointed objects on the end are the ptergiophores.
Excuse me, pterygiophores.
This is a bit late, but it’s part of the facial structure of a Jack fish. I’m not sure exactly which species of Jack. I have one in my assemblage too.