Millepora platyphylla tends to form wider, more irregular upright paddles than M. exaesa, although I am not certain they are not just different growth forms of the same species. This is common on some very shallow inter-island lagoon reefs. This species bleached out very quickly when the warm water started hitting the atoll starting in 2009, and where we have looked the colonies are now largely dead and covered with algae.
Some forms look a bit like flattened Millepora exaesa and could be forms of that species.
The next few photos show colonies that appear to be the paddle variety, but many have branching extensions growing from the tops of the paddles.
The one below is in the process of losing its color. The photo was taken on 11 November 2013 during a bleaching episode.
Created 4 April 2020
Updated 8 June 2023