Bulanov, V. V., and Sennikov, A. G., 2006, The first gliding reptiles from the Upper Permian of Russia: Paleontological Journal, v. 40, supplement 5, p. S567-S570:

Family Weigeltisauridae Kuhn, 1939
Genus
Rautiania
Bulanov et Sennikov, gen. nov.
E t y m o l o g y. The genus is named in honor of the
Russian zoologist Aleksandr Sergeevich Rautian.
Ty p e s p e c i e s.
Rautiania alexandri
Bulanov et
Sennikov sp. nov., Severodvinian (Vyatkian?) Stage;
Orenburg Region, Russia.
D i a g n o s i s.
Caudal process of parietal sculptured
with high osteodermal spines. Postfrontal with wide
dorsal flank and narrow postorbital process. Premaxilla
with 11 teeth. Crowns of jaw teeth longitudinally flattened,
with wide anterior cutting border. Sacrum composed
of three vertebrae; second and third sacral ribs
expanding distally into wide plates fused with vertebral
center for more than half of its extent.
S p e c i e s c o m p o s i t i o n. Two species,
Rautiania
alexandri
sp. nov. and
Rautiania minichi
sp. nov.
C o m p a r i s o n. The new genus differs from other
genera of the family Weigeltisauridae in the presence of
high spines on their parietals, the wider dorsal region of
the postfrontal, the narrow postorbital process, the
greater number of premaxillary teeth, and in the flat
crowns of the jaw teeth with a broad anterior cutting
border.
Rautiania alexandri
Bulanov et Sennikov, sp. nov.
E t y m o l o g y. The species is named in honor of
the Russian zoologist Aleksandr Sergeevich Rautian.
H o l o t y p e. PIN, no. 5130/1, right parietal of
adult; Russia, Orenburg Region, Saraktashskii District,
Kul’chumovo-A locality; Upper Permian, Severodvinian
(Vyatkian?) Stage.
D i a g n o s i s (Figs. 1b, 2a). Osteoderms on caudal
process of parietals flat and wide, adjoining each other
at bases. Maxilla with 30 densely spaced teeth. Tooth
crowns widest in posterior part of tooth row. Externally,
orbital flank of maxilla in shape of high ridge.
O c c u r r e n c e.
Type locality.
M a t e r i a l. In addition to the holotype, specimen
PIN, no. 5130/4, maxillary bone.
Rautiania minichi
Bulanov et Sennikov, sp. nov.
E t y m o l o g y.
The species is named in honor of
the paleontologist Maksim Georgievich Minikh.
H o l o t y p e. PIN, no. 5130/2, right parietal of
adult; Russia, Orenburg Region, Saraktashskii District,
Kul’chumovo-A locality; Upper Permian, Severodvinian
(Vyatkian?) Stage.
D i a g n o s i s (Figs. 1b, 2a). Osteoderms on caudal
process of parietals high-conical and spaces between
their bases as wide as bases. Maxilla with 23 widely
spaced teeth. Tooth crowns widest in middle part of tooth
row. Ridge along orbital flank of maxilla undeveloped.
C o m p a r i s o n. The new species differs from
Rautiania
alexandri
in the high-conical osteoderms on the
parietal, the presence of wide gaps between them, the
smaller number of the widely spaced maxillary teeth,
the wider tooth crowns in the middle part of the tooth
row, and in the absence of a ridgelike expansion on the
orbital flank of the maxilla.
O c c u r r e n c e. Type locality.
M a t e r i a l.
In addition to the holotype, specimen
PIN, no. 5130/3, maxillary bone.

Bulanov, V. V., and Sennikov, A. G., 2010, New data on the morphology of Permian Gliding Weigeltisaurid reptiles of Eastern Europe: Palaeontological Journal, v. 44, n. 6, p. 682-694:

New specimens of the Permian gliding reptile Rautiania from the Kul’chumovoA locality (Rus
sia, Orenburg Region) are described. The morphology of Rautiania strongly suggests adaptation for an oblig
atory arboreal mode of life and gliding flight (which are supported by the consolidated sacrum; free move
ments of the autopodial elements; specific manus morphology, typical of living arboreal vertebrates; strongly
pneumatic structure of cranial bones and rodlike bones forming the frame of the gliding skin membrane;
etc.). The homology of bones of the posterior wall of the temporal fenestra of weigeltisaurids is revised;
according to the new concept, it consists of two dermal elements, the squamosal and quadratojugal. The out
growths on the cranial bones of weigeltisaurids are of osteodermal nature. The diagnostic characters in the
dental system of the genus Rautiania are considered, and the structure of the quadrate–articular complex of
weigeltisaurids is described in detail for the first time. The original name of the family, Weigeltisauridae Kuhn,
1939, is restored. The appearance in the Late Permian of specialized gliding reptiles, such as the Weigeltisau
ridae, is accounted for by climactic conditions of terrestrial vertebrate communities in the preTriassic time,
which resulted in the penetration of tetrapods into new adaptive zones, in particular, forest biotopes. The glo
bal distribution of weigeltisaurids is evidence of the widespread of high thin forests, the ecotopes most favor
able for the appearance and subsequent dispersal of gliding animals, in the Late Permian and later on.

In 2005, an expedition of the Borissiak Paleonto
logical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
Moscow (PIN) discovered a rich locality of weigelti
saurids in a section near the village of Kul’chumovo in
the Orenburg Region. This locality was named
Kul’chumovoA. As early as the 1980s, M.G. Minikh
and V.P. Tverdokhlebov, employees of Saratov State
University, found the first isolated bones of gliding
reptiles in a section near the village of Kul’chumovo.
The bones (specimens PIN, no. 5331/1, dentale, and
PIN, no. 5331/2, vertebra) are light brown, come from
yellowish gray marls.