[3] In the resulting rearrangement to create monophyletic genera, four species including the ferruginous-backed antbird were moved to the resurrected genus Myrmoderus.

[2] The ferruginous-backed antbird has two subspecies, the nominate M. f. ferrugineus (Statius Müller, PL, 1776) and M. f. elutus (Zimmer, J.T., 1927).

Adult males of the nominate subspecies have a bright chestnut crown, upperparts, and flight feathers.

Their face, throat, breast, and upper belly are black with a white line separating them from the chestnut of the upperparts.

Adult females are similar but with a white chin and throat, a light gray (not black) belly, and a paler crissum.

[4][5][6] The nominate subspecies of the ferruginous-backed antbird is found from the Caroní River in far eastern Venezuela east through the Guianas.

The male ferruginous-backed antbird's song is a "short, very high, increasing, decelerating 'tjutju-tee-tee-teeh', level pitched after the 'tjutju' ".