It is known to occur in Russia, Austria, and Switzerland, where it grows parasitically on lichens in genus Cetraria.

The species epithet kozhevnikovii honours the late Dr. Yurii Kozhevnikov, a friend of the author and a "devoted explorer of Arctic wildlife".

[1] The taxon was transferred to the genus Neoechinodiscus after it was discovered that Echinodiscus was an illegitimate homonym that had already been used for other taxa.

Ascospores are narrowly oblong in shape, hyaline, lack any septa, often contain oil droplets (guttules), and measure 10–12 by 2.5–3.5 μm.

[1] Originally described from mountain and arctic tundras of Russia, Neoechinodiscus kozhevnikovii has also been recorded from the Lepontine Alps of Switzerland,[3] and the Tyrol of Austria.