This small antwren occurs in southeastern Brazil. A studied coastal population of subspecies F. s. littoralis maintained territories.
Adult nominate F. s. serrana has a broad, unbroken white supercilium and rufous-to-cinnamon upperparts.
In coastal restinga scrub, the studied F. s. littoralis population held permanent territories. The measured territories were smaller during the breeding season.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.