Sciaphylax is a genus of passerine birds in the family Thamnophilidae.

A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2013 found that Myrmeciza was polyphyletic.

[2] In the resulting rearrangement to create monophyletic genera, the two chestnut-tailed antbirds was moved to a newly erected genus Sciaphylax.

The type species is the southern chestnut-tailed antbird.

[1] The name of the new genus combines the Ancient Greek words skia "shadow" and phylax "a watcher".