Below is a link the crayfish that are reported from Alabama. Papershells do exist in AL. There are 16 species of Orconectes in AL. Very interesting that no Orconectes reported from the nearby state of FL. A few species are pretty similar, and to the untrained, numerous species appear similar to papershells -calicos. Three 'easy to see' features to recognize papershells (calico) are shape of the areola, shape of the rostrum and features of the dactyl (movable finger of the claw). Get close up pics of each of those.
http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/country_pages/state_pages/alabama.htmWhatever species are living in his ponds will be able to live in your pond providing the bass don't eat all of them. Crayfish have a hard time thriving in bass 'heavy' ponds.
