How did the spread of grasslands during the Miocene affect herbivorous mammals?

The spread of grasslands during the Miocene epoch significantly influenced the evolution of herbivorous mammals by driving adaptations to new environmental conditions. As climate changes and vegetation shifts created more open, grassy habitats, many herbivorous groups underwent notable physical transformations to survive in these environments.1

Key evolutionary adaptations included:

• Dental Specialization: Many herbivores, which originally possessed low-crowned teeth suited for browsing leafy vegetation, evolved specialized high-crowned teeth capable of grazing on gritty grasses.1
• Locomotor Changes: To navigate open landscapes and evade increasingly efficient predators, many species developed longer limbs, which enhanced their ability to run.1

These adaptations allowed for the establishment of grassland communities by the late Miocene that were analogous to modern savannas. This period was marked by significant diversification among groups such as horses, antelopes, camels, and deer, as land mammal communities became dominated by the ancestors of groups living today.12