Final answer:
Scientists would describe sharks as carnivores because they primarily feed on other marine animals and have specialized teeth for capturing and consuming prey.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on their diet, scientists would describe sharks as carnivores. Sharks feed on a variety of marine life, including fish, clams, crabs, and marine mammals like seals and dolphins. While most sharks are predatory carnivores that actively hunt and consume live prey, there are also species that are suspension feeders, subsisting primarily on plankton. Sharks have evolved powerful jaws with multiple rows of sharp teeth that are highly efficient at capturing and tearing apart their prey, and the shape of their teeth varies according to their specific diet.