[2] The Mato Grosso antbird was formally described in 1835 by the French zoologist Édouard Ménétries under the binomial name Formicivora melanaria.

[4] The type locality is the town of Cuiabá in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso.

In addition, part of the central Bolivian population occurs in dry Chaco forest.

They hop and flutter-fly among vine tangles and other dense vegetation and usually take prey by gleaning and lunging from a perch.

[9][10] The Mato Grosso antbird's breeding season has not been fully defined but includes October and November.

Its nest is a cup made of fine fibers and dried leaves held to a branch with spider web up to about 4.5 m (15 ft) above the ground.

The male Mato Grosso antbird's song is a "[v]ery low, very dry, froglike 'krokreéeh-tjow' " that is often answered by the female's "high, strident 'chip-chip- -' ".

A number of proposed hydro-electric schemes, if instituted, could pose significant threat to the general ecosystem of the Brazilian Pantanal.