Hurtado-Gómez et al. (2024) analyzed phylogeographic structure and taxonomic limits within the genus Kinosternon that demonstrated deep intrageneric divergences; they proposed the recognition of three subgenera: Kinosternon, Cryptochelys, and Thyrosternum. The subgenus Kinosternon was found to include K. abaxillare, K. acutum, K. chimalhuaca, K. cora, K. creaseri, K. herrerai, K. hirtipes, K. integrum, K. oaxacae, K. sonoriense, K. vogti, and K. scorpioides with its three subspecies, K. s. scorpioides, K. s. albogulare, and K. s. cruentatum, with the latter two recognized as probable separate species. Kinosternon alamosae was later assigned to the same subgenus based on morphology (J.B. Iverson, unpubl. data). TTWG (in press) agrees with this proposed taxonomy.

The Jalisco Mud Turtle, Kinosternon chimalhuaca, is assessed as Least Concern (LC), given that it occurs in high abundance in habitats ranging from city canals to forested native habitats with seasonal water sources. Populations of K. chimalhuaca appear to be stable. The species inhabits at least two, probably four or more different river basins. It is not threatened at present; however, more data on the range and status of the species would be desirable. Kinosternon chimalhuaca was also previously assessed in 2007 as Least Concern (van Dijk et al. 2007).

Kinosternon chimalhuaca is a Mexican endemic, and ranges from south of El Tuito, Jalisco, where the Sierra descends into a valley, down south to near the border of Colima (Iverson and Berry 1998, Legler and Vogt 2013, TTWG 2021). However, individuals have been observed in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and it remains unclear if there are reproducing populations of K. chimalhuaca in Vallarta (Cupul-Magaña and Rubio-Delgado 2003). The species has been recorded from near sea level to 500 m asl. The estimated historical indigenous range (area of occupancy, AOO) was approximately 7,410 sq. km, and the estimated historical indigenous extent of occurrence (EOO) was approximately 12,256 sq. km (TTWG in press). The current AOO appears to be much less than the historical range; an estimate of current AOO of K. chimalhuaca using a maximum entropy distribution model (MaxEnt) delineated a significantly smaller potential AOO of 2,300 sq. km (Berriozabal-Islas et al. 2020).

The relative density of Kinosternon chimalhuaca has been observed to be higher in city canals compared to forest populations (Garrido et al. 2021). City canals that have been sampled had exceptionally high turtle abundances; in a sampling effort in March 2023, during the dry season, a canal in Morelos, Chamela, and Francisco Villa, Jalisco, was trapped for one night with 18 traps, which yielded 84 individual K. chimalhuaca (Butterfield, unpubl. data). In a natural 0.4 ha pond, Berry et al. (1997) trapped 81 turtles in 10 hours, and at another site in one pool of an intermittent stream, captured 31 turtles in five traps set overnight. Kinosternon chimalhuaca estivates in March (dry season) where it occurs naturally in seasonal streams. In contrast, populations in canals like those in Morelos, Chamela, and Francisco Villa harbour large populations all year. The fact that city populations occur in contaminated water suggests that populations of K. chimalhuaca are resilient to some human impacts.

Kinosternon chimalhuaca forages and breeds in seasonal and perennial streams throughout its range. It appears to be plastic in its behaviour, as populations within city drainages (canals) have been reported to have active turtles all year long, whereas in seasonal streams turtles are known to estivate for up to eight months (Garrido et al. 2021). Its habitats include seasonal streams, perennial rivers, coastal freshwater lagoons, and most freshwater habitats in its distributional range (Iverson and Berry 1988, Legler and Vogt 2013).

The species is omnivorous (Butterfield et al. 2020) and frog skeletons have been observed in its scat at the Chamela Field Station in Jalisco, México (Butterfield, unpubl. data). Males are significantly larger than females, reaching a straight-line carapace length (SCL) of up to 17.2 cm, and females up to about 14.0 cm (Garrido et al. 2021).

Clutch size ranges from 2–5 eggs, averaging 3.7 and 4.3 in two different studies, and egg sizes averaging 33.3 x 17.5 mm and 29.7 x 17.9 mm in the same two studies (Berry et al. 1997, Macip-Ríos et al. 2013). About half of all females are gravid during the peak reproductive season during the summer (R. Macip-Ríos pers. comm.). Reproductive periodicity has not been studied, but it is suspected that the species may be able to lay multiple clutches per year (R. Macip-Ríos pers. comm.). Age at maturity of females in natural habitats is ca 7–8 years (Berry et al. 1997), but it appears that populations may grow and mature faster depending on where they occur (Garrido et al. 2021). Populations of K. chimalhuaca in city canals have females with average body sizes that are smaller than in native habitat (forest) populations (average SCL in city canals = 12.4 cm, average SCL in native habitat = 13.2 cm) (Garrido et al. 2021), suggesting that when K. chimalhuaca has access to abundant resources and perennial water, it can grow faster and presumably reach sexual maturity at smaller sizes and younger ages. In canal habitat the smallest female had an SCL of 8.9 cm and the smallest male had SCL of 8.2 cm, whereas in native habitat both the smallest female and the smallest male each had an SCL of 9.4 cm (Garrido et al. 2021). Generation length is not known for the species, but based on an age of maturity of 7–8 years, we estimate it as 14–16 years (Iverson 2024).

The main threats to Kinosternon chimalhuaca are climate change and destruction of habitat. Climate change represents a multifaceted threat by disrupting the balance of desert and tropical ecosystems, as well as ecohydrology. According to a modelling study by Berriozabal-Islas et al. (2020), climate change may severely affect K. chimalhuaca, potentially leading to a reduction in its currently estimated potential AOO of 2,300 sq. km to 1,150 sq. km, signifying a potential decrease of up to ca 50% by 2070 in an extreme global warming modelling scenario such as RCP85 (Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5). However, the demonstrated adaptability of the species to urban canals with permanent waters may partially protect it against climate-induced droughts affecting natural populations.

There is no evidence of local use of Kinosternon chimalhuaca, and most people avoid the species, considering it is associated with the city canals that also have sewage. There is no information on local, national, or international trade of this species.

Kinosternon alamosae was included in Appendix II of CITES as Kinosternon spp. as of 2023. According to Mexican legislation, the species is categorized as "Protección Especial" (Special Protection, Pr) and recognized as endemic to Mexico under the NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010.

A status assessment of the species would be desirable, including an evaluation of existing and planned hydrological engineering projects. Better distribution data (specifically, clarifying its potential occurrence near Puerto Vallarta) would be welcome. Two IUCN Class VI areas (Chamela-Cuixmala BR [131 sq. km] and Sierra de Manantlan BR [1,396 sq. km]) overlap with the distribution range of K. chimalhuaca and its presence has been confirmed in the lowlands of both of these areas; more data on the extent of protection afforded would be desirable.