Two-Body Abrasive Wear of the Surfaces of Pangolin Scales

The Pangolin, a soil-burrowing animal, is covered with scales. These scales are often abraded by soil and rock and their surface is corrugated. The abrasive wear of the surface of the scales was examined. The scales were taken from a pangolin that had died of natural causes. The tests were run on a rotary disc abrasive wear tester. The abrasive material was quartz sand (96.5 wt.%) and bentonite (3.5 wt.%). The morphology of the abraded surfaces and the abrasion were examined by stereoscopic microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The concepts are proposed of “Guiding-Effect” and “Rolling-Effect” on the textured surfaces under free abrasive wear conditions and the critical dimensions of the “Rolling-Effect” are discussed.