Inside the Seawater Research Lab at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester Point, rows of water tanks hold specimens from around the region.
All sorts of marine creatures are studied. But the newest additions are a first for VIMS: stone crabs.
Stone crabs, which have strong, bulky claws and a muddier appearance than their blue counterparts, prefer a warm climate. They are typically found in coastal and offshore waters from South America to North Carolina…