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Why did many grazing mammals develop high-crowned teeth during the Miocene Epoch?

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Messinian Stage — Tertiary Period Gypsum cones, which resulted from the evaporation of the Mediterranean Sea during the Messinian Salinity Crisis, in the Sorbas basin, Spain.

During the Miocene Epoch, significant changes in global climate and vegetation led to the expansion of open, grassy habitats. As these environments became more widespread, many herbivorous mammals transitioned from browsing on soft, leafy vegetation to grazing on grasses.12

Grasses are inherently abrasive and gritty, which causes rapid wear on teeth. To survive on this diet, many grazing mammals evolved specialized, high-crowned teeth known as hypsodont teeth. These teeth extend further below the gumline, providing a greater reserve of tooth material to compensate for the constant grinding and wear. Furthermore, these teeth often feature complex surface patterns—such as ridges formed by fused cusps—and are frequently reinforced with deposits of secondary cement, which increases their durability and resistance to the abrasive nature of a grass-based diet.123