Formiche della Zanca

Formiche della Zanca is a dive site on the northern coast of the Island of Elba, Italy, situated between Capo Sant'Andrea and Punta della Zanca. The name — "The Zanca Ants" — comes from a series of small rocks that break the surface; below the waterline these outcrops give rise to dramatic scenic backdrops along a submerged landslide and wall.

The terrain descends from a boulder landslide covered in yellow and orange sponges at around 20 metres, where large rocks form a wall that drops into fine light sand at depths exceeding 40 metres. Red gorgonian fans draped with white bryozoans line the wall, and gorgon stars have been recorded on yellow gorgonians in the deeper zone.

The site holds moray eels, conger eels and lobsters in the rock crevices, along with groupers, snapper, sea bream and barracuda — the latter forming large shoals that circle in the mid-water column during the ascent. Amberjack are also encountered near the surface during the ascent. Flabelline nudibranchs in red, blue and purple are consistently present throughout the dive.