This uncommon antbird is known from two small areas of Loreto in northeastern Peru. It is closely associated with forest growing on sandy, nutrient-poor soil.
At about 13.5 cm, the male is dark gray with a black throat and crown and white wing bars. The female has gray upperparts, rufous wing bars, and rufous underparts with a white center to the belly.
It forages in dense forest understory growing on sandy, nutrient-poor soils.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.