 In frogs , the hind legs are larger than the fore legs , especially so in those species that principally move by jumping or swimming . In the walkers and runners the hind limbs are not so large , and the burrowers mostly have short limbs and broad bodies . The feet have adaptations for the way of life , with webbing between the toes for swimming , broad adhesive toe pads for climbing , and keratinised tubercles on the hind feet for digging ( frogs usually dig backwards into the soil ) . In most salamanders , the limbs are short and more or less the same length and project at right angles from the body . Locomotion on land is by walking and the tail often swings from side to side or is used as a prop , particularly when climbing . In their normal gait , only one leg is advanced at a time in the manner adopted by their ancestors , the lobe @-@ finned fish . Some salamanders in the genus <unk> and certain <unk> climb trees and have long limbs , large toepads and prehensile tails . In aquatic salamanders and in frog tadpoles , the tail has dorsal and ventral fins and is moved from side to side as a means of propulsion . Adult frogs do not have tails and caecilians have only very short ones . 
