sleepmarken en · NOUN
Etymology
Unknown. Likely from Norwegian slepe (“drag”) + mark (“worm”). Attested from circa 1762; see quotations below.
Meanings
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(uncommon) A hagfish, an eel-like marine fish, Myxine glutinosa.
3. Myxine glutinosa ["slepmark" or "pirål" in Norwegian], which Gunnerus has dissected himself, and where he had clearly observed the difference between the sexes. [The article published by Gunnerus was, "Om sleep-marken"].
1762 October 9, Johan Ernst Gunnerus, “Letter addressed to Carl Linnaeus”, in The Linnaean Correspondence, retrieved 04 Jan 2018:Linné discussed the strange “lamprey” with Norwegian Bishop and naturalist Johan Ernst Gunnerus and they both classified it as a worm. In 1763, Gunnerus wrote about the creature and he then referred to it as a Sleep-Marken.
2011 December 19, Jancuk Jaran, “Hagfish”, in All Animals, retrieved 04 Jan 2018: