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Description
Although Ceratopsians first appeared on the Asian continent during the Middle to Late Jurassic, the derived Ceratopsids only returned to their ancestral homeland at the end of the Cretaceous. The oldest of these was the Centrosaurine Sinoceratops, having crossed the Bering Land bridge from North America during the Early Maastrichtian. From this early pioneer, an entire sub-family of Ceratopsids emerged: the Sinoceratopsines. Smaller and seemingly more solitary than their Uintaceratopsine cousins, these 4-7m long browsers dwelt in the tropical forests of Eocene Asia.

Like many other dinosaurs from Eocene South East Asia, Burmaceratops is known from rather scant fossil remains. Despite being represented by a holotype consisting of a single partial skull, there are some pertinent points related to this animal that are worthy of discussion. Overall, Burmaceratops likely measured 6m in length and weighed roughly 2 tonnes. Its neck frill was relatively tall and narrow, crowned by a ring of straight hornlets. The body nasal horn was also rather long, measuring up to an estimated 75cm in mature adults. These features were likely useful for species recognition and perhaps intraspecies competition. By the Middle Eocene, relatives of Burmaceratops had migrated back into North America where they avoided competition with other Ceratopsids by dominating the niche of Black Rhino-like low browsers. However, by the close of the period, the age of Ceratopsids would come to an end. Severe climate change and global cooling permanently changed the face of the Northern Hemisphere, leading to the extinction of Sinoceratopsines and Uintaceratopsines alike. In their place, the smaller and formerly rare Leptoceratopsids would move into the vacated niches left by the death of their more derived relatives.

Sometimes in the game of life, being big and widely distributed can be as much a weakness as a strength.

Commission illustrated by Sheather888.

Description
Although Ceratopsians first appeared on the Asian continent during the Middle to Late Jurassic, the derived Ceratopsids only returned to their ancestral homeland at the end of the Cretaceous. The oldest of these was the Centrosaurine Sinoceratops, having crossed the Bering Land bridge from North America during the Early Maastrichtian. From this early pioneer, an entire sub-family of Ceratopsids emerged: the Sinoceratopsines. Smaller and seemingly more solitary than their Uintaceratopsine cousins, these 4-7m long browsers dwelt in the tropical forests of Eocene Asia.

Like many other dinosaurs from Eocene South East Asia, Burmaceratops is known from rather scant fossil remains. Despite being represented by a holotype consisting of a single partial skull, there are some pertinent points related to this animal that are worthy of discussion. Overall, Burmaceratops likely measured 6m in length and weighed roughly 2 tonnes. Its neck frill was relatively tall and narrow, crowned by a ring of straight hornlets. The body nasal horn was also rather long, measuring up to an estimated 75cm in mature adults. These features were likely useful for species recognition and perhaps intraspecies competition. By the Middle Eocene, relatives of Burmaceratops had migrated back into North America where they avoided competition with other Ceratopsids by dominating the niche of Black Rhino-like low browsers. However, by the close of the period, the age of Ceratopsids would come to an end. Severe climate change and global cooling permanently changed the face of the Northern Hemisphere, leading to the extinction of Sinoceratopsines and Uintaceratopsines alike. In their place, the smaller and formerly rare Leptoceratopsids would move into the vacated niches left by the death of their more derived relatives.

Sometimes in the game of life, being big and widely distributed can be as much a weakness as a strength.

Commission illustrated by Sheather888.