A new genus Viperinus Park with descriptions of two new species, and two new species of the genus Protolychnis Meyrick, 1925 (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Lecithoceridae) in Kenya and Tanzania, with a checklist of the world species Author Park, Kyu-Tek 0000-0001-9933-4497 Bioresource and Environmental Center, Incheon National University, Incheon, 22012 Korea & ktpark 02 @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 9933 - 4497 ktpark02@gmail.com Author Koo, Jun-Mo 0000-0003-2639-6456 Department of Plant Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, CB, 28644 Korea & taran 9539 @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 2639 - 6456 taran9539@gmail.com text Zootaxa 2021 2021-06-15 4985 3 359 370 journal article 5705 10.11646/zootaxa.4985.3.3 7b87d5eb-e754-418f-8673-363bc07712b3 1175-5326 4956106 154BD3FC-121C-439A-B041-B2D4AF5E9D6C Genus Viperinus Park , gen. nov. LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 8D462CDE-6BD9-4EDE-8AAD-69E0BCD360A2 Type species: Viperinus orbiosus Park & Koo , sp. nov. Type locality: Kenya . Diagnosis. The new genus Viperinus has similar external morphological characters to Protolychnis : the antenna much shorter than the forewing length; the forewing ground color dark fuscous, with a distinct orange-white or creamy-white spot near the apical end of discal cell; M 2 in the hindwing absent. However, the male genitalia can be clearly distinguished by having a uniquely specialized pair of arched processes arising from base of each valva. The presence of a polygonal signal plate in the female genitalia of the new genus is also a diagnostic character when it is compared to Protolychnis species having a crescent signal plate. Description. Head : Antenna shorter than the forewing length. Labial palpus with 2 nd segment thickened; 3 rd segment slender, nearly same length as 2 nd segment. Thorax : Forewing is slightly broadened distally, ground color dark fuscous with a distinct orange-white spot at apical end of discal cell; blackish elliptical spots at 2/5 of the wing medially; apex obtuse; fringe concolorous with ground color. Hindwing broader than forewing, brownish gray; termen slightly concave medially. Abdomen : Spinous zones forming a row along posterior margin of each dorsal tergite. Male genitalia : Uncus broad basally, narrowed distally. Basal plate of gnathos produced distally; median process bent downwardly. Tegumen concave into wide V-shaped, with heavily sclerotized anterior margin. Valva with short basal part, slightly convex dorsally near base of costa; cucullus elongated, setose; a pair of specialized, arched processes arising one from each base of valva. Juxta poorly developed. Aedeagus with semi-ovate ventral lobe medially; dorsal margin heavily sclerotized. Etymology. The generic name is derived from the Latin, vipera (= snake) with a Latin suffix, -inus , referring to the snake-like long processes in the male genitalia. The gender of the generic name is masculine.