Which statement about the pleurae is NOT true?

The visceral pleurae are a membrane that directly covers the lungs, providing a protective layer and facilitating smooth movement of the lungs during respiration. In contrast, the parietal pleurae line the inside of the thoracic cavity, including the chest wall and diaphragm, but they do not cover the diaphragm itself. Instead, the diaphragm sits beneath the parietal pleura, which means that it’s the parietal pleura that is associated with the diaphragm.

In addition, the continuity between the visceral and parietal pleurae forms an important anatomical relationship, allowing for the potential space to exist as the pleural cavity, which is essential for maintaining pressure differences necessary for lung expansion during breathing. Overall, the statement that visceral pleurae cover the diaphragm is not true, as it is the parietal pleura that plays this role.