Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Scale-backed Antbird (Willisornis poecilinotus).
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
nigrigula (Snethlage, E, 1914) - South-central Amazonian Brazil (extreme eastern Amazonas east to both banks of R Tapajós, and on eastern bank of R Teles Pires south to northern Mato Grosso). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Tapajos Scale-backed Antbird (Willisornis nigrigula).
vidua (Hellmayr, 1905) - Eastern Amazonian Brazil south of R Amazon (east from R Xingu to western Maranhío, south to northern Tocantins). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Xingu Scale-backed Antbird (Willisornis vidua). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Scale-backed Antbird (Willisornis poecilinotus).