Modern fish bone/dermal denticle?

[bthemoose]

I found the object below recently while on a non-fossiliferous beach on Maryland's eastern shore (Atlantic Ocean side). It's not a fossil, though I'm hoping someone here might know what it is. The pointy end on what I'm calling the "top" is translucent, hard, and looks toothy. My first thought was possibly a dermal denticle, though I'm not sure the tripod "base" is right for that. The whole thing is light but fairly solid--i.e., while I haven't wanted to break it, it doesn't bend when I apply moderate pressure. Any ideas on what this is?

 

[old bones]

Porcupine fish spines?

[bthemoose]

16 minutes ago, old bones said:

Porcupine fish spines?

Interesting. That looks like a match. Thank you!

[Brett Breakin' Rocks]

Yes, I used to find them occasionally in Georgia.  I've got some great shots of dead ones .... and of course the fossil mouthplates we associate with them !  Chilomycterus sp.  a burrfish/porcupine fish

 

Image Credit: Santa Rosalia, Baja California Spotfin-Burrfish Chilomycterus reticulatus

 

Image Credit: Porcupine Fish, Skeleton Burs Chilomycterus schoepfi (South Carolina)

 

fossil Chilomycterus sp.

16 minutes ago, bthemoose said:

Interesting. That looks like a match. Thank you!