The Formiche di Grosseto ("Ants of Grosseto") is a group of

islet An islet is a very small, often unnamed island. Most definitions are not precise, but some suggest that an islet has little or no vegetation and cannot support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/or hard coral; may be permanen ...

s which emerge sharply in the Tuscan Archipelago. They are located in open sea among the coast of the Natural Park of Maremma and

Pianosa Pianosa () is an island in the Tuscan Archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy. It is about in area, with a coastal perimeter of . Geography In Roman times the island was named ''Planasia'' (plain) because of its flatness – its highest poin ...

, approximately from

Porto Santo Stefano Porto Santo Stefano () is a seaport town on the west coast of Italy, in the municipality of Monte Argentario, in the Province of Grosseto, Tuscany. It is the municipal seat of Monte Argentario and one of the two major towns that form the townshi ...

Monte Argentario Monte Argentario is a ''comune'' (municipality) and a peninsula belonging to the Province of Grosseto in the Italian region Tuscany, located about south of Florence and about south of Grosseto. The peninsula is connected with the mainland by thre ...

and from

Marina di Grosseto Marina di Grosseto () is a popular tourist destination located twelve kilometers from Grosseto; it is an important seaside resort in Grossetan Maremma. Once a fishing village, it is known for its hilly hinterland, rich in macchia and wide beaches ...

; they are part of the ''

comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

'' of

Grosseto Grosseto () is a city and ''comune'' in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain on the Ombrone river. It is the ...

and are placed in a

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

which makes part of a

special protection area A Special Protection Area (SPA) is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union (EU) have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certa ...

Description

The ''Formiche di

'' are three islets named, according to their dimensions, ''Formichino'', ''Formica Media'' and ''Formica Grande'' which develop a total surface of about 120,000 square metres which extend lined up from north-west to south-east over one mile. ''Formichino'' is the smallest and is formed by two skerries, is the southernmost and has an area of only 20 square metres. ''Formica Media'' is a long narrow strip of rock that continues under water situated on a shoal. ''Formica Grande'' is the largest, has a rhomboidal shape, it is 370 metres long and 230 metres wide, is the northernmost and home the ''Scoglio Formiche di Grosseto'' lighthouse. The island has three old docking points on three different sides to permit the mooring depending on the wind and is equipped with a helipad utilized for the maintenance of the lighthouse.

Flora and fauna

The ''Formiche di Grosseto'' is a place enjoyed by scuba divers for the richness of its waters. The

seabed The seabed (also known as the seafloor, sea floor, ocean floor, and ocean bottom) is the bottom of the ocean. All floors of the ocean are known as 'seabeds'. The structure of the seabed of the global ocean is governed by plate tectonics. Most of ...

is prosperous in sponges, gorgoniidae,

sabella spallanzanii ''Sabella spallanzanii'' is a species of marine polychaete worms in the family Sabellidae. Common names include the Mediterranean fanworm, the feather duster worm, the European fan worm and the pencil worm.Branch, G.M.; Branch, M.L.; Griffiths, ...

and in fishes as

grouper Groupers are fish of any of a number of genera in the subfamily Epinephelinae of the family Serranidae, in the order Perciformes. Not all serranids are called "groupers"; the family also includes the sea basses. The common name "grouper" is ...

, sarago,

conger ''Conger'' ( ) is a genus of marine congrid eels. It includes some of the largest types of eels, ranging up to 2 m (6 ft) or more in length, in the case of the European conger. Large congers have often been observed by divers during t ...

, muraena, astice and lobster. Odyssea
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Gallery

File:FormicheGrosseto.jpg, Diving at ''Formiche di Grosseto'' File:Formiche di Grosseto. Dalla piazzola per elicotteri di Formica grande - panoramio.jpg, View from ''Formica grande''

References

Islands of Tuscany Province of Grosseto {{Grosseto-geo-stub

Description

Flora and fauna

See also

Gallery

References