The Lower Aptian Sarastarri Limestone unit (Aralar, nor thern Spain), mainly consists of rudist and coral
micrites and is nearly 200m thick. The uppermost 30m of the unit show sharp-based marly intervals
attributed to two drowning events. Both marly intervals are immediately preceeded by laminated bioclastic
rudstone facies, attributed to quick shoaling processes ending with subaerial exposure. A change of local
subsidence conditions from uniform during the Sarastarri Limestone episode, to varying with distance
during the Lareo Marl succeeding episode, is invoked to explain both drownings. Influence of oceanographic
causes reported in other contemporaneous carbonate platforms is, however, not excluded