† Calcitronidae Petrunkevitch, 1945b Hubbardiidae Cook, 1899 Protoschizomidae Rowland, 1975 Schizomida, also known as sprickets[1] or short-tailed whip-scorpions,[2] is an order of arachnids, generally less than 5 millimetres (0.20 in) in length.

[5] Based on molecular clock dates, both orders likely originated in the late Carboniferous somewhere in the tropics of Pangea, and the Schizomida underwent substantial diversification starting in the Cretaceous.

The prosoma (cephalothorax) is divided into three regions, each covered by plates, the large protopeltidium and the smaller, paired, mesopeltidia and metapeltidia.

[11][12] Schizomids are generally tropical and subtropical creatures, and they have a global distribution in these habitats, including in Southeast Asia, India, Australia, several Pacific Islands, Central and South America, and Africa.

[13] While schizomids are not native to Europe, they have been introduced to the continent in Britain, France, the Czech Republic, and Poland via soil stock imported for botanical gardens; however, thus far they are still restricted to the artificial greenhouse environments.

[13] They typically live in rainforest leaf litter, particularly in the top layer of organic soil, under rocks, in and beneath rotten logs, and even in caves.

[13] The Australian species Draculoides vinei is believed to have been forced to move into a nearby humid cave system after its original forests dramatically decreased in size.

[15] Sprickets are active predators, constantly using their antenniform legs to examine the forest soil for potential prey.

[15] A wide range of invertebrates are prey items, including isopods, millipedes, cockroaches, worms, springtails, termites, booklice, zorapterans, and even other schizomids.