• Tamil Nadu has officially declared Tamil Yeoman (Cirrochroa thais) as the state butterfly.
• Its scientific name is Cirrochroa thais. It is locally known as Tamil Maravan, which means ‘Tamilian Warrior’. It belongs to the family of brush-footed butterflies or the Nymphalid.
• It is endemic to Western Ghats. It is mostly found in moist deciduous, evergreen forests and along water streams.
• This southern state has total of 32 species of butterflies endemic to the state

Butterflies are great bio-indicators of ecosystem as they are highly sensitive to environmental conditions such as sunlight, temperature, humidity and rainfall patterns. Their presence, patterns and migration assist in mapping climatic health of region. They are most studied insect group across the world.