This species was first described in 1883 by Edward Meyrick using material collected by him above Arthur's Pass at an elevation of approximately 1350 metres.

Forewings moderate, hindmargin rounded; rather dark fuscous, mixed and obscurely striated with orange; a curved white suffused with dark fuscous, mixed and obscurely striated with orange; a curved white subdentate line before 1⁄4 anteriorly blackish-margined; a similar white line beyond 1⁄4, posteriorly blackish-margined; space between these sometimes suffused with orange; a slender irregularly dentate white fascia beyond middle, rather strongly angulated in middle, anteriorly blackish-margined, posteriorly closely followed by a dentate orange line; a dentate orange line near hindmargin, dilated on costa.

Hindwings moderate, hindmargin rounded; orange, lighter anteriorly; basal half dark fuscous mixed with orange, its outer edge irregularly curved; a dentate subterminal fascia and narrow hindmarginal fascia dark fuscous, sometimes obscure.[3]N.

[11] When the larvae emerge from their eggs, they eat into the leaves or buds of their host, hiding from predators.

[7] The host plants for the larvae of N. niphocrena are endemic species within the genera Kelleria and Pimelea.