The species is named for the Australian arachnologist Robert J. Raven, Curator of Arachnology at the Queensland Museum, who collected the type specimens.

The paragonopods feature a pair of processes projecting from the sternum in front of the reduced legs.

[2] For example, the anterior gonopods in all species in this genus feature flagella and a large process projecting from the middle of the sternum.

[2] Like other millipedes in this order, the species N. raveni is teloanamorphic, adding segments and legs through a series of molts until the adult stage, when the molting stops and the adult emerges with a final number of segments and legs.

[5] To arrive at 32 segments as adults, however, these millipedes must deviate from the anamorphosis usually observed in the order Chordeumatida.

Little is known about post-embryonic development in this species, but Mauriès found juvenile specimens with 30 segments and 48 pairs of legs.

[3] Mauriès found a larger sample of juveniles in the genus Peterjohnsia, representing the three stages of development leading up to adulthood in females.

[3][5] This species has been recorded only at its type locality, in Bruxner Forest Park, near Coffs Harbour in New South Wales in Australia.